"The Beautiful Norm?" Rina asked, "What's that?"

"It's a talk show hosted by Ezra, the Normal-type Elite Four member of this region." Eric answered.

"When we met him, he gave us these passes to come and watch his show!" Nina said.

"Ezra's always looking for new and exciting things to show off," I said, "I'm sure if we tell him about your designs and he sees them, he'll want to broadcast it on his show!"

"Maybe even help you sell them?" Kat suggested.

There was a twinkle in Rina's eyes that made me smile.

"That sounds amazing! I'd love to give it a try!" Rina said, "But what if he asks me to get in front of the camera and speak? I can't do that..."

I paced around the pavement before snapping my fingers.

"In Ezra's talk shows, all you have to do is answer the questions Ezra may have, and when you have the chance, just talk about what you love." I said.

Rina hummed in thought before looking back at us.

"Alright! Let's do it!" she said confidently.

The five of us cheered, as well as the Pokémon. Elsu wrapped an arm around Rina and pulled her close.

"I'm so proud of you, Rina!" Elsu said, "You're gaining that confidence!"

"Thanks, Elsu!" Rina chuckled.

I smiled as Elsu continued to embrace her.

They're so cute together!

"So, where's Zloria City?" Eric asked.

"Zloria City is to the west of Grandisle City," I said, "Not many know how to get there on foot because the way to get there is off the normal trail."

"Got it!" Elsu said, "Well, what are we waiting for? Onward!"

Elsu returned his Pokémon and started walking towards the city's entrance. The others and I chuckled before catching up with Elsu.

I've never been to Zloria City before! I heard it's a lively little city. From what I've overheard, it has a very simplistic atmosphere about it.

Once we were out of Grandisle City, we walked down the dirt path before turning away from it halfway. The six of us soon began venturing into a small woodland area, bird Pokémon singing and Bug-type Pokémon buzzing and skittering across the trees.

It's peaceful here.

"So, what's Zloria like anyway?" Rina asked.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure," I said, "All I know is that it's a small city, but it's very lively."

"Do you really think Ezra will like my designs?"

Elsu chuckled and draped an arm over Rina's shoulder.

"Of course he will!" Elsu said.

"Yeah! Don't you know who Ezra's mother is?" Nina asked.

The others and I shook our heads.

"Yelena, the fashion influencer, model, and designer of the Beautiful Norm in Johto!" Nina said.

Our eyes widened in surprise.

"Yelena is Ezra's mother!?" Kat asked in surprise, "Her designs are so beautiful! My mom usually buys her outfits whenever she can."

Wow! Yelena is a big name in Johto, and to have her son here to spread and share her legacy says a lot.

"Now I get why Ezra's talk show is called the Beautiful Norm," Nina said, "Not only is he doing his own thing, he's still promoting his mother's fashion line. That's so sweet!"

"It really is! I've heard of Yelena before; so inspirational!" Rina said, "I feel more confident meeting with Ezra now!"

"That's the spirit, Rini!" Elsu said, holding her close.

Rina smiled bashfully, a tint of pink rising to her cheeks.

Ah! They are so cute together!

"Hey, is that Zloria City up ahead?" Eric asked, pointing ahead.

Pushing past some leaves and branches, I could see the small city of Zloria City. Almost every building and house were the same size, but the building that towered over them all was Zloria Studios.

That's where Ezra hosts the Beautiful Norm.

"That's it!" I said, "Come on, guys!"

We emerged from the woods and walked towards the silver city. The sun beamed down on the silver buildings, making them shine like precious stones.

"Wow! Zloria City is so pretty!" Nina said, twirling around.

"Yeah! I've only seen it in pamphlets and brochures," I said, "The pictures don't do justice at all."

Libby let out a cry as she admired the glittering city around her.

"So, where do we have to go?" Rina asked.

"There," I said, pointing upwards, "That building is Zloria Studios, where Ezra has his talk shows."

"Wow! Seeing all of this is so awesome!" Elsu said, "We have to do some sightseeing after this!"

"I couldn't agree more, Elsu!" Kat said.

"Come on, guys," Eric said, "I think the building's this way."

Nodding to our friend, we followed his lead through the small city.

Despite it being one of the smallest cities in Ezonia, you can get seriously lost here.

I turned a corner and saw a familiar light brown braid in the distance.

Is that...?

"Ezra?" I called out.

The person turned around and smiled.

"Eragona! Kat!" he said excitedly, "Eric and Nina!"

The Elite Four member sprinted up to us with a smile on his face.

"It's so good to see you, kids, again," he said, "How's it going?"

"Great! You're just the person we wanted to see." Kat said.

"Follow me. We can talk at my house."

The six of us followed the young man to a large, cream-colored house.

Wow! He lives here? Well, I guess if you're an Elite Four member, you have a lot of money.

Ezra opened the door, and a lovely scent wafted out.

"Pardon the mess." he said.

When we stepped inside, the house was covered from ceiling to floor with white and silver colors. The furniture and stairs were silver and white as well.

"Wow! It's beautiful!" Rina said.

"Thank you." Ezra said.

Then, a small cry arose from another room. Ezra turned around and smiled when he saw his Furret scamper towards us.

"Furret! Hey buddy!" Ezra said, patting the Pokémon's head.

Furret let out an adorable cr and leaned into its trainer's touch. Libby hopped off my shoulder and let out a cry; Angel did the same. Furret smiled and let out a friendly cry. That's when Rina's Furret leaped out of its Pokéball and let out a cry of its own, to which Ezra's Furret returned.

"You have one, too?" Ezra asked with a grin.

"Y-Yeah." Rina said shyly.

Then, Snubbull jumped out of Rina's arms and let out a cry, causing the Furret to smile. Ezra's Furret let out a cry before sprinting away, our Pokémon happily following.

Ezra did say that our Pokémon would get along with his Furret. Guess he was right!

"So, who are your new friends?" Ezra asked.

"Right! Ezra, this is Elsu and Rina," I said, "Rina here is a fashion designer!"

"Really?"

Rina averted the Elite Four member's gaze and nodded.

"Y-Yeah," she said, "Novice level."

"Novice level? Rina, you designed the outfit Elsu is wearing and the outfit you're wearing now!" Nina said, "I wouldn't call that novice level."

Ezra walked up to Elsu a ran his fingers through the material.

"This is incredible," Ezra said, "Backstitch?"

"Slip, actually." Rina said.

"Wow! I've never seen a slip stitch so perfect before. It took me years to master it."

"You make clothes, too?" Eric said.

"From time to time. I made the one I'm wearing now!"

That's right! His mother was a designer, so of course, he would've picked something up.

"Do you have any more?" Ezra asked eagerly.

Rina nodded and slipped off her bag. Reaching inside, she pulled out a denim-blue suit with a dark gray bowtie and matching dark gray pants.

"This is something for a girl to wear," Rina said, looking towards me, "And I think this outfit would look amazing on you, Eragona."

"You think so?" I asked.

Rina walked up and held the suit against my chest.

"Wow, Era! That's practically made for you!" Kat said.

I took the suit and smiled at it.

"It's lovely," Ezra said, "What else?"

"I have this one; it's a personal favorite!" Rina said.

She then pulled out a denim magenta shirt with flowers and dark purple ripped jeans.

"That would look great on you, Nina." Eric said.

Nina took the outfit and held it against her chest. She couldn't help but smile.

"I love it!" Nina said.

"I also have this one," Rina said, "This one might be fitting for you, Kat."

Rina then pulled out a denim-pink shirt with dark pink flowers and a bright blue pencil skirt, a pale pink sweater over it all.

"It matches the colors you're wearing now, Kat!" I said.

Rina smiled and held up the outfit in front of her.

"I love it!" Kat said, hugging the outfit.

"And this one is fitting for you, Eric," Rina said, "It's nothing flashy, but it's simple and very comfortable."

"Just the way I like it." Eric said, crossing his arms.

Rina smiled as she pulled out a dark blue sweater with a Pokéball and dark gray pants.

"I like this!" Eric said, taking the outfit.

"You just about have an outfit for all of your friends!" Ezra commented.

"Yeah, I guess so." Rina chuckled.

Ezra smiled as he admired the clothes.

"Oh, before we forget. Ezra, we have something we wanna ask you." Eric began.

"You wanna broadcast Rina's designs on my talk show, don't you?" Ezra asked.

Our eyes widened.

"How did you know?" Elsu asked.

"You're not the first to ask," he said, "A lot of designers in Ezonia are up-and-coming because I showed their designs on The Beautiful Norm."

"So, is that a yes...?" I asked.

Ezra chuckled before giving us a wide grin.

"Of course!" Ezra said, "I'll ensure your designs are out there so everyone would want to buy one!"

"That's all I ever wanted!" Rina said happily.

"And your friends here could model them for you."

"That's a great idea!" Eric said.

"I'm up to it!" Kat said.

"Same!" I said.

"Me, too!" Nina said excitedly.

"Count me in!" Elsu said.

Rina looked around at us and smiled.

"You guys..." she said softly, "Thank you so much. We only just met, and you're already doing so much for me."

"Of course! We're friends, aren't we?" Eric said.

"That's what friends are for!" Elsu said.

Rina smiled and wiped a tear from her eye.

Rina isn't like other Pokémon trainers out there. She wants to do what she loves and make it known.

"So, when can we show off her designs?" Kat asked.

"Why not now?" Ezra suggested, "Pack your clothes and follow me."

Ezra whistled and watched as his Furret and the others came running.

"We're going out to the studio," Ezra said, "You remember how to turn on the TV?"

Furret stood up and nodded.

"It knows how to do that?" Eric asked.

"Yup. Furret watches the house while I'm away. Another Pokémon does the same, but he's sleeping in my room."

You have to have a lot of trust in your Pokémon to leave them on their own.

"Come on, kids." Ezra said.

Rina stuffed the clothes in her bag and followed us out of the house. The six of us followed Ezra through the winding streets of Zloria, and before we knew it, we were face-to-face with Zloria Studios.

Wow. It's so much taller up close...

"Come on," Ezra said, "My studio is on the top floor."

The six of us followed the Elite Four member into the building; everything was white and silver.

"Wow! It's so beautiful in here!" Nina said.

"Come on!" Ezra said excitedly, waiting by an elevator.

We followed the young man onto the elevator and watched the silver door close. When the elevator ascended, we could see the small city below.

"The view is amazing!" Kat said.

"But not as amazing as the view from atop Mount Haven." Eric commented.

"Very true." I said.

When we reached the top floor, the elevator opened, and a large setup greeted us. The stage was off-white with white chairs and a white desk. Above the stage were white fairy lights and stage lights. The auditorium was in front of the stage with rows of black and silver seats.

"This place looks amazing, Ezra!" I said.

"Thanks!" he said, "People will start arriving soon, so follow me backstage."

We obeyed and followed the young man backstage. Upon our arrival, there were many crew members and Pokémon hard at work. Ezra clapped twice, and the room grew silent.

"Okay, everyone, change of plans," he said, "We will be showcasing this young lady's designs, and these five will be modeling them. Treat them with the utmost respect and help them get ready."

The crew members nodded before dispersing across the room.

"Alright, Rina, pass the clothes to your friends and get ready to be a star!" Ezra said.

"On live TV?" Rina panicked, passing the clothes, "Oh, dear, I don't know if I can go out there..."

"Would it be okay if I go out with Rina?" Elsu asked, "She's calmest when I'm with her."

Ezra smiled softly and nodded.

"Of course," he said, "Stay here until you guys hear me introduce you, got it?"

"Got it!" Rina said.

"You'll do great, Rina!" Eric said.

"Think happy thoughts!" Nina said.

Rina looked back and smiled.

"I'll try." she said.

"Go change, guys." Ezra said.

We nodded to the Elite Four member before heading into separate dressing rooms. I quickly took out my clothes before slipping on the suit.

A perfect fit! Rina certainly knows her stuff!

Walking out, I saw the others wearing Rina's clothes.

"You all look great!" I said.

"You, too!" Kat said.

"Are you guys ready?" Nina said.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Eric said.

"It's starting!" Elsu said excitedly.

The six of us looked ahead to see Ezra adjusting his vest with a smile. When he stepped out onto the stage, a round of applause and cheers arose from the audience.

"Good morning, Ezonia, and welcome to The Beautiful Norm!" he said, "I'm your dashing host, Ezra, and today, we have a special guest. She's an aspiring designer who makes her own clothes to exercise her gift. Coming from the Kalos region, please give a warm welcome to Rina!"

Rina breathed out a heavy sigh when the cheers arose. Elsu took her by the hand, and the pair walked out onto the stage. They sat in front of the desk where Ezra sat and waved toward the audience.

"Welcome to the show, Rina!" Ezra said, "Glad you could make it!"

"Uh, glad to be here," she said, "Thanks for having me."

Ezra nodded with a smile.

"Now, Rina, when we met, you told me you're a designer, no?" Ezra asked.

"Yes, I am," she said softly, "I'm nowhere near as good as your mother."

Ezra chuckled and shook his head fondly.

"Too humble, you are," he said, "If my mother could see your designs, she would love them!"

Rina smiled as she squeezed Elsu's hand.

I'm glad Elsu went out there with her. She'd probably be a shy Shelgon if she went out there on her own...

"Now, what made you start designing clothes?" Ezra asked, "Why is it your passion?"

Rina looked away for a moment before turning back to Ezra.

"When I was younger, my mother was a tailoress and would always make clothes for me with whatever material she had around the house," Rina said, "The way her clothes always came out inspired me to take up designing. After a few years of practice, with my mother's watchful eye and guidance, I started making clothes just as good as her!"

"And the clothes you and your friend, Elsu, are wearing were made by your hands." Ezra commented.

The audience started murmuring with grins on their faces.

"Now, we have a couple of your friends backstage who will be modeling some of your designs," Ezra said, "No flash photography, please."

With a snap of his fingers, the stage extended into a runway.

"You ready, guys?" Nina asked excitedly.

"You bet!" I said.

Here goes nothing!

"First, we have Eric!" Ezra called out.

Eric sighed before walking out onto the stage. He walked out onto the runway with poise and confidence.

It's almost as if he's done this sort of thing before...

Waving to the crowd, he turned around and walked back to us.

"Nina!" Ezra said.

Nina took a deep breath before walking along the stage. My redheaded friend struck a pose before stepping out onto the runway.

Nina has the right idea. Have fun with it!

Nina blew a kiss to the crowd before walking back to the others and me.

"Here's Kat!" Ezra said.

Kat grinned before walking out on stage. My friend carried herself with such confidence and grace.

Since she was a Pokémon Performer back in Kalos, this must be second nature to her.

When she came back, I gave her a tight embrace.

"Awesome!" I said, "You knew the walk inside and out."

"All the perks of being a Pokémon Performer." she said.

"And last but not least, Eragona!" Ezra said.

Here we go!

Putting on a smile, I walked out onto the stage and waved to the crowd.

Poise, like Eric; have fun, like Nina; confidence and grace, like Kat!

Breathing out, I strutted onto the runway before striking a pose. Waving to the crowd, I turned away and returned backstage. The cheers from the crowd grew louder.

"I'd say that went well!" Eric said.

"Same!" Kat said.

I nodded in agreement before turning back to the stage.

"Now, weren't those amazing designs or what?" Ezra asked.

The crowd stood up and applauded.

"Rina, what is the theme for your designs?" Ezra asked.

Rina smiled and shook her head.

"That's the thing, Ezra," she said, "I don't have one."

The studio grew quiet.

"Really?" Ezra said with a kind smile, "Why is that?"

"To me, I feel like when you have a theme, you have to stick with it; like, you can't go back on it once you've decided. Not for me," Rina answered, "For me, I want all my designs to have their own theme. The outfits you saw my friends wear each had something unique about them. Not one was the same. I want my designs to resemble my love for designing, whether one outfit's blue and plaid or another orange and polka-dot."

The crowd began to murmur once more. Ezra smiled and stood up.

"A theme with no theme," he said, "I love it! It's very you, Rina, and I couldn't be more honored to showcase your designs."

Rina looked over at Elsu and smiled, the young boy smiling back.

"Can we please give Rina a hand in making such amazing designs and to her friends for modeling them, please?" Ezra asked.

When he said this, the others and I stepped onto the stage and waved to the crowd.

"With my help, Rina, I'll be sure your designs get the proper attention so that everyone across Ezonia can purchase them," Ezra said, extending a hand, "I swear!"

Rina smiled and shook Ezra's hand. That's when a photographer stepped out from the crowd and held up a camera with a warm smile.

"Why not pose for the picture, guys?" Ezra suggested, "It'd be great for advertisement."

"You four can," Elsu said, "Camera shy..."

I nodded to my native friend and turned back to face the camera. The four of us wrapped our arms around each other and smiled.

I'd say this was a huge success. Rina conquered her fears; she's more confident in herself. I guess when she's talking about what she loves, the thought of other people listening and watching her disappear. I can't wait to see what Rina accomplishes as time goes on. The way I see it, Rina's name will be big, not just in Ezonia but across the world.