After finishing the activities in Turffield, Summer returned to his daily routine and started his patrol. When he arrived near Misty Lake, he noticed something unusual.
"Thwackey, do you feel like there are fewer Seedot on the trees?"
"Thwack?" Thwackey raised its head in confusion, looking at the nearby green oak trees. Only a few Seedot were left hanging on the branches.
"Piers said the forest has been calm these days. It can't be Pokémon hunters. Could it be environmental changes causing them to migrate?" Summer shook his head. "No, the environment hasn't changed, and if they migrated, they wouldn't leave these few Seedot behind."
To solve his doubts, Summer decided to continue his patrol. Perhaps the other residents of the forest knew what was happening.
"Lillil."
"Petilil, who did this?"
Not far along, Summer found a Petilil crying softly under a tree. The greenery on its head had been tied into knots by someone, making it look quite pitiful.
"Don't worry, I'll untie it for you."
Summer squatted down and quickly untied the knots on Petilil's head. Then he softly asked, "It's okay now, Petilil. Who did this to you?"
Petilil's description was vague; it only knew that the perpetrator moved quickly and could easily jump between the treetops.
"Thank you for the information, Petilil. I'll find the culprit."
After saying goodbye to the waving Petilil, Summer encountered several other Pokémon who had been similarly pranked: Greedent with berries tied to a stick on its head, a Cottonee dangling from a branch, and a Shuckle turned upside down, unable to right itself.
These residents had one thing in common: they weren't physically harmed but had been subjected to nasty pranks, and they were not very strong.
No Pokémon near Misty Lake, home to the powerful Milotic, had been pranked. The only victim was a Psyduck that had wandered far. Similarly, no pranks were reported near Gracidea Prairie, where Lilligant lived.
From this, Summer concluded that the Seedot hadn't left the forest; they had evolved, making them more mobile. Yes, they had become Nuzleaf.
Nuzleaf is the evolution of Seedot. As Grass/Dark-type Pokémon, they have a mischievous nature and love to play pranks. These malicious pranks were likely the work of Nuzleaf. Now that they were bothering other residents, Summer had to find a solution.
But he had another question: Why did these Seedot evolve collectively? They hadn't been in Sunset Forest long. Oh, right—their food. They had been drinking water from Misty Lake. Could the lake water have growth-promoting effects?
Thinking back, the Lotad in the lake seemed greener, and Psyduck's fur was shinier.
So, it must be the effect of the Splash Plate. It was quietly lying at the bottom of the lake, serving as Milotic's pillow, improving the water quality.
"Sorry, Arceus. I shouldn't have said your plates were useless. They are quite powerful."
"Now, I need to find a way to gather the Nuzleaf and set some rules. I have an idea," Summer said, clenching his fist. He would use Nuzleaf's nature to attract them.
"Thwackey, start playing your drums right here!"
"Thwack?" Thwackey looked puzzled. Weren't they looking for the culprit? Why play music? But Summer must have his reasons. Thwackey took the sticks from its head and began drumming.
In the treetops, a Nuzleaf watched with a sly grin as it tricked a Gloom below. Recently, the powerful presence in the lake had disappeared, allowing the Seedot to drink freely from the delicious water, which led them to evolve. With their newfound agility, they began their pranks, leaving a trail of mischievous joy.
Suddenly, a melodious drumbeat reached Nuzleaf's ears. It couldn't resist taking out its leaf flute and playing along. Then it stopped, realizing it couldn't compete with the drumbeat's power.
The previously cheerful Nuzleaf felt dejected, looking around to see its companions sharing the same expression.
Playing the leaf flute is natural for Nuzleaf, and their music can mesmerize others. They often compete with each other in music. But Thwackey's drumming was on another level, a complete game-changer.
A thought emerged in their minds: they had to see the drummer in person!
Nuzleaf from all over the forest, those hiding in the treetops, those in the grass, those in the middle of pranks, all rushed towards Thwackey's position to satisfy their curiosity.
"Looks like they're all here," Summer said, looking around at the Nuzleaf filling the branches, all staring intently at Thwackey.
When Thwackey finished playing, Summer addressed the Nuzleaf: "I am Summer, the ranger of this forest. I have a request for you."
The Nuzleaf snapped out of their trance, looking puzzled. A ranger? What was that?
"Your pranks are seriously affecting the other residents. I ask you to stop these harmful actions."
"Yahsha~! Yahsha~!" The Nuzleaf on the branches raised their hands in protest. Why should they listen to him?
"As expected," Summer nodded. "I understand that pranking is in your nature. I don't intend to suppress it. You can prank those who destroy the forest or harm its residents as much as you like."
"After all, this is your home. We should protect it together, right?"
The opposition significantly decreased. Many Nuzleaf had already considered Sunset Forest their home, and such a comfortable living environment was hard to find elsewhere.
"You were all attracted here by Thwackey's drumming. How about a music competition for those who disagree?"
As group Pokémon, Nuzleaf naturally followed the strong. Being strong in music meant being strong overall.
The opposition almost disappeared, knowing they couldn't compete with Thwackey.
However, a few stubborn Nuzleaf jumped down to play their leaf flutes, which Thwackey accompanied with its drums. With Thwackey's support, the Nuzleaf realized their flute music sounded even better. They gave up, admitting defeat.
"Yahsha!" The last voice of dissent came from the first Nuzleaf to evolve, the proud leader of the group.
"Then let's settle it with strength. Thwackey, don't use your sticks. Let's give them a fair chance."
Thwackey looked helpless. Summer had learned some tricks from the Gym Leaders. Trainers could be sneaky.
Nuzleaf didn't respond, thinking Summer would pay for his arrogance.
Both Pokémon moved simultaneously. Thwackey shone with a cyan light, and before Nuzleaf realized, it was lying on the ground, defeated.
A one-hit KO. The Nuzleaf were silent. Strong in music, strong in battle—this was their new leader.
Summer wasn't surprised. The opponent was just a newly evolved Nuzleaf, no match for Thwackey. Wait, did Thwackey's leadership potential just activate? Had the Nuzleaf made Thwackey their new leader?
The fallen Nuzleaf stood up, admitting defeat and recognizing Thwackey's leadership. Strangely, acknowledging Thwackey filled it with newfound strength.
So now, Thwackey had a Nuzleaf brigade. This unexpected development delighted Summer—a group of highly mobile forest protectors. Just thinking about it was impressive.
**(End of Chapter)**