The Gloom's Evolutionary Journey

The two Gloom were deeply upset, but the sadder they became, the more intense their emotional fluctuations grew. And the stronger their emotions, the more potent the stench they emitted.

They ran toward home, and along the way, the Pokémon they encountered didn't recognize them as evolved Oddish. Just as they were about to ask who they were, they were overwhelmed by the unbearable stench and ran off while covering their noses.

Seeing this, the two Gloom became even more discouraged. Crying, they dashed into their home, shut the door, locked it, and didn't come out again.

After a while, concerned about their situation, two Shroomish called Paras over to help.

"Shroomish~ Shroomish~"

One Shroomish knocked on the door and called out to the Gloom, but there was no response.

The Shroomish and Paras exchanged worried glances.

"Paras~ Paras~"

Then the Paras stepped forward, knocked on the door, and told the Gloom that the Shroomish were sorry and willing to offer their treasured snacks as a peace offering.

The two Shroomish: Hey, hey, hey, we never said that!

But they figured it didn't matter if it would cheer the Gloom up.

After a moment, one of the Gloom slowly cracked the door open with tears is still in its eyes, and asked:

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

Really? You'll really give us all your snacks?

The Paras was about to reply, "Yes," when a wave of stench wafted out from the room. Paras froze mid-sentence, turned around, and started retching uncontrollably.

Despite the Shroomish warning them earlier, the Paras had underestimated it. They simply couldn't endure the overwhelming odor.

The Gloom stood there, petrified, and then slammed the door shut with a bang.

"Shroomish~ Shroomish~"

One of the Shroomish angrily yelled at the Paras.

"Paras~ Paras~"

I didn't mean to! The smell was just too much!

Now the Paras was starting to worry about how they'd sleep in their shared quarters tonight.

The six Pokémon lived together, and with the Gloom refusing to open the door, the others couldn't get inside. But even if they did, they weren't sure they could suppress their physical reaction to the smell, which would just upset the Gloom further.

What a headache!

For now, the two Paras and two Shroomish sat in a row outside their door, sighing.

After lunch, Angie moved two lounge chairs to the doorway and dozed off alongside Bruno.

Diancie sat nearby, knitting a sweater, while two Spinarak obediently lounged beside her.

Not far away, near the flower beds, Mareep was completely absorbed in its painting.

Mareep indeed had a talent for art. Despite only practicing for a short time, its work already looked professional, nothing like that of a beginner.

Meanwhile, Munchlax huffed and puffed as it carried freshly harvested bags of Plump Beans outside. Gengar and Inteleon spread out plastic sheeting on the ground, and the three siblings worked together to pour out the Plump Beans to dry them in the sun.

Plump Beans were an essential ingredient in the household, used to make soybean paste, tofu, bean sprouts, soy milk, and bean curd.

Magearna was busy holding a hose, spraying Volcanion with water before applying body wash.

Today, Magearna had decided to give Volcanion a thorough bath, cleaning every nook and cranny.

After spraying on the body wash, Magearna grabbed a brush and began scrubbing. With Volcanion's tough hide, there was no worry about hurting it, so Magearna scrubbed with extra vigor.

Wherever Magearna's brush passed, Volcanion's skin began to gleam, as though it had been photoshopped.

Before long, Volcanion started making contented humming noises.

"Magearna, not there... not there either... don't... it tickles... ahaha~~ haha... tickles!"

Pawmot, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Machamp sat crouched in a circle, muttering among themselves.

"Such a leisurely day," Bruno remarked, swaying slightly, unable to hide his contentment.

"Indeed," Angie replied in agreement.

At that moment, Angie seemed to notice a notification from the system. Curious, he opened it and found a new task added to the task list.

...

[ ( Temporary Task] Help the two Gloom regain their confidence—Pending. ]

Angie instinctively glanced at Diancie, who smiled knowingly and winked at him.

"Did our Oddish evolve into Gloom?" he asked.

"Yes, they evolved this morning while playing soccer," Diancie replied.

"Did something happen to them?" Angie inquired further.

The system wouldn't issue such a task unless something had occurred. Diancie explained how the two Gloom had been ostracized because of their unpleasant smell.

After hearing this, Angie sighed. "So that's what happened."

Nearby, Bruno overheard the conversation and commented, "The more Pokémon you have, the more issues arise. Angie, you're going to have your hands full."

Angie chuckled, "Tell me about it."

After resting until the mid-afternoon, Angie practiced some martial arts with Bruno before seeking out Paras and Shroomish. They told him that the two Gloom had locked themselves inside their room.

Because of this, even Paras and Shroomish had skipped lunch.

Angie decided to take matters into his own hands and went to the dormitory where the Gloom were staying. He knocked on their door.

"Gloom, are you in there? It's me, Angie."

There was no response from inside.

Angie tried again. "You won't even see me? That really hurts my feelings. I thought you two liked me the most. I guess I was wrong.

Sigh... I'll just leave then. No point sticking around if someone doesn't want to see me."

At this, the door creaked open slightly, and the two Gloom peeked out cautiously.

Angie gasped when he saw their appearance. Their eyes were swollen from crying, and their once plump, vibrant bodies were now dry and withered from dehydration.

"What happened to you two?" Angie's voice was filled with concern. He turned to Paras and Shroomish and said, "Quick, get them some water."

"Shroomish~!"

"Paras~!"

The four Pokémon nodded earnestly and scurried off to fetch water.

Angie turned back to the Gloom and beckoned them gently. "Come on out, you two."

"Gloom~"

The Gloom shook their heads vigorously, afraid Angie would reject them too.

"I won't dislike you, I promise," Angie reassured them.

"Gloom~?"

They still looked doubtful.

Angie crouched down to meet their gaze. "Silly Pokémon, do you think people disliking your smell means they dislike you?"

"Gloom~?"

They tilted their heads in confusion.

Wasn't that the case?

Angie smiled softly and explained, "Hating a smell and hating the person or Pokémon are two entirely different things."

The smell emanating from the Gloom was indeed unpleasant. It resembled the stench of leftovers left to ferment in the summer heat for ten days.

No wonder everyone found it unbearable.

One of the Gloom even had the Stench ability, which made its odor particularly pungent.

Angie had smelled it the moment they opened the door, but he endured it without a word. After all, he believed his tolerance was far better than that of most Pokémon.

He continued speaking to the Gloom, "The smell coming from you isn't something you're doing on purpose; it's natural. How could anyone hate you just because of that?"

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

The two Gloom looked like they were starting to understand but weren't entirely convinced.

At that moment, Shroomish and Paras returned, panting and carrying cups of water.

Angie pointed at them, sweat dripping from their faces, and said, "Shroomish and Paras have been worried about you since this morning. Look at them—do they seem like they hate you?"

"Shroomish~!"

We like Gloom the most!

"Paras~ Paras~!"

Yeah, Gloom are our best friends!

Hearing Angie's words, Shroomish and Paras quickly nodded and chimed in agreement.

The Gloom were moved as they saw the genuine concern in Shroomish and Paras' eyes.

Angie took the water cups from Shroomish and Paras and placed them in front of the Gloom. "Here, have some water first."

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom nodded, grabbed the cups, and gulped the water down. They had been parched for a while, so they finished the water in no time.

As they drank, Angie said, "Actually, if you keep yourselves calm and relaxed, the smell from your bodies will lessen."

"Gloom~"

Really?

The Gloom set down their cups and asked in surprise.

Angie nodded. "Of course. Have I ever lied to you?"

"Gloom~"

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom shook their heads.

"Then give it a try," Angie encouraged.

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom nodded and began trying to calm their emotions.

They tried hard for a while but failed in the end. Their emotions had been too turbulent before, and now it was difficult to suddenly calm down.

"Gloom~"

"Gloom~"

They became anxious and started crying again.

Angie sighed and rubbed his temples. "Actually, there's another way to change your situation."

"Gloom~?"

The Gloom stopped crying and looked at Angie in confusion.

Angie smiled. "Evolve!"

Evolve! The Gloom's eyes lit up at the word.

"You can evolve immediately if you have a Sun Stone or a Leaf Stone," Angie explained.

Hearing this, the Gloom's excitement faded. They didn't have a Leaf Stone or a Sun Stone.

Angie shook his head helplessly and said, "How about I take you to buy a Leaf Stone and a Sun Stone?"

Hearing this, the Gloom immediately grabbed hands and cheered in delight. However, their excitement caused the strong smell around them to spread quickly.

Angie: "Ugh~"

Shroomish: "Ugh~"

Paras: "Ugh~"

The two Gloom: "(ó﹏ò)"

"Let's go. I'll take you to the city to buy a Leaf Stone and a Sun Stone," Angie said to the Gloom after retching.

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

The two Gloom nodded eagerly. As long as they evolved, everything would be fine.

Soon after, they returned to Angie's home.

"Diancie, I'm taking the Gloom to the city," Angie said, informing Diancie before leaving.

"Got it!" Diancie replied cheerfully.

It had to help Angie cover things up. Otherwise, if Bruno discovered the secret of the Space Portal, things could get troublesome.

Through the Home House, Angie and the two Gloom arrived at the city.

As they passed a patch of grass, the two Gloom suddenly dashed into it.

"Hey, where are you going?" Angie called out, confused.

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

After a short while, the two Gloom emerged from the grass, their bodies wrapped tightly in green leaves, resembling two large rice dumplings.

Angie couldn't help but laugh. "Are you worried that people will smell the odor from your bodies?"

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

The two Gloom nodded vigorously.

"Adorable little ones," Angie said with a chuckle.

He began unwrapping the leaves from their bodies. "Doesn't this feel uncomfortable? We'll just stick to less crowded areas. That way, we won't bother anyone."

Besides, the odor came from the flowers on their heads. Wrapping their bodies was pointless.

Once the leaves were removed, Angie smiled and said, "Let's go."

Ever since Angie had told them they were going to the royal city to buy evolution stones, the Gloom had been in high spirits. Their odor had already lessened significantly.

"Gloom~"

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom followed closely behind Angie, carefully choosing quiet paths to walk. They hardly encountered any passersby.

Though it meant taking a slightly longer route, Angie and the Gloom found some enjoyment in the process.

It felt like an adventure, allowing them to see an unfamiliar side of the city and discover many Pokémon living in its hidden corners.

"Gloom~ Gloom~"

Angie, look!

Following the Gloom's direction, Angie spotted a Talonflame resting on a rooftop with several Fletchling nestled around it.

"Shh~" Angie gestured for the Gloom to be quiet, signaling not to disturb the Talonflame and its companions.

As they passed a corner, they saw a Paras and a Parasect rummaging in some ruins.

Before the Gloom could speak, Angie placed a finger to his lips, motioning for silence. They quietly walked past without disturbing them.

When they passed an abandoned waterway, they saw a group of Magikarp swimming in the water, along with a Shinx and a Starly resting by the shore.

The two Gloom greeted them, and the Pokémon warmly returned their greetings.

Leaving the waterway, Angie and the Gloom entered a narrow alley. Suddenly, a Mismagius and two Misdreavus leapt out from the shadows, startling the Gloom, who quickly hid behind Angie.

"Kyahaha~!"

Seeing the frightened Gloom, the three Ghost-type Pokémon burst into laughter, thoroughly amused, before disappearing back into the darkness, satisfied.

After the most recent and exciting adventure, Angie and the Gloom finally arrived at the Pokémon store.

This time, Angie had come to a large store in the city, not some small roadside shop.

The shelves inside were filled with a dazzling array of Pokémon supplies, from various Poké Balls, medicines, and Pokémon food, to larger items like carrying tools, evolution stones, space backpacks, bicycles, and much more—everything one could imagine.

Not only were the Gloom overwhelmed, but Angie himself was starting to feel a bit dizzy from all the choices.

However, they didn't forget the purpose of their visit. After browsing for a while, they quickly found the section dedicated to evolution stones.

The Leaf Stone and Sun Stone were placed together.

Angie pointed at the green stone with leaf-like veins and said to the two Gloom, "Look, this is the Leaf Stone. It can evolve you into a Vileplume."

He then pulled up a picture of Vileplume for the Pokémon to see and continued, "Vileplume is a powerful flower Pokémon. It can release strong paralytic powder, poison powder, and sleep powder. It is a Pokémon that strikes fear into enemies in the forest."

Hearing this, the Gloom with the Chlorophyll ability's eyes brightened, and a look of longing passed across its face.

Next, Angie pointed to the Sun Stone in the display case and explained, "And this is the Sun Stone. It can help you evolve into a Bellossom."

He quickly showed them a picture of Bellossom and introduced it, "Bellossom is a beautiful flower Pokémon. After basking in the sunlight, the flowers on its head become vibrant and beautiful. It even sings and dances."

After listening to Angie's explanation, the Gloom with the Stench ability looked overjoyed.

"Alright, if you've decided which form you want to evolve into, go ahead and choose your evolution stones," Angie said, leaving the choice up to the Gloom.

There was more than one Leaf Stone and Sun Stone in the display case, so even if the two Gloom chose the same evolution form, there was no need to worry about there not being enough stones.

Of course, the two Pokémon didn't choose the same evolution stone. The one with Chlorophyll quickly selected the Leaf Stone, while the one with Stench confidently picked the Sun Stone.

Angie asked, "Are you sure? Once you evolve, you won't be able to turn back!"

"Gloom~"

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom nodded firmly.

"Alright then!" Angie said, looking over at the store clerk. "Could you please hand me one Sun Stone and one Leaf Stone?"

"Sure, please wait a moment," the clerk replied.

The clerk skillfully retrieved the evolution stones and was about to package them.

Seeing this, Angie quickly said, "No need for packaging; we'll be using them right away."

"Alright, sir," the clerk said, handing the two evolution stones to Angie directly.

After paying for the stones, Angie and the Gloom walked out of the store.

As soon as they exited, the two Gloom grabbed onto Angie's pants, looking up at him with expectant faces.

"Alright, alright, here you go," Angie chuckled, handing them the evolution stones.

"Gloom~"

"Gloom~"

The two Gloom eagerly took the stones and held them close.

The moment they touched the stones, the evolution stones began to glow brightly, and the light spread over the two Gloom, enveloping them completely.

Within the light, the two Gloom's forms quickly began to change.

The one with Chlorophyll grew larger, its flower bud on top blossoming rapidly. When the light faded, a bipedal, flower-like Pokémon appeared before Angie.

It had a deep indigo-colored body with a flower stalk, hands, and feet. Atop its head was a massive, spotted flower, and with every movement, its petals shook, releasing faint yellow powder.

This was one of Gloom's evolutions—Vileplume, a dual-type Grass and Poison Pokémon.

Meanwhile, the other Gloom, with the Stench ability, quickly grew taller in the light. A skirt-like bloom grew beneath it, and when the light faded, it turned into a cute Pokémon with two red flowers on its head and a yellow-green grass skirt.

"Bellossom~ Bellossom~"

As soon as it evolved, it joyfully spun around in circles.

This was the other evolution of Gloom—Bellossom, a pure Grass-type Pokémon.

"Congratulations to you both, Vileplume and Bellossom!" Angie said with a smile.