When Naoki rode Koraidon back to the ranch, the night had already fallen.
The house stood quiet and dark, but the Pokémon Tavern across the yard was brightly lit.
Naoki figured that Pawmot and the others must have been feeling bored and had wandered over to the tavern to chat and socialize with the other Pokémon.
After such a long day out and still needing dinner, Naoki decided not to disturb them. Instead, he brought Koraidon and Flutter Mane straight into the living room.
Kicking off his shoes, Naoki turned to greet Flutter Mane—only to realize it was nowhere to be found.
He froze for a moment before asking, "Did you see where Flutter Mane went?"
"Raao?"
Koraidon tilted its head and looked around in confusion, clearly as unaware as Naoki.
Naoki let out a small sigh. 'This Pokémon, honestly...'
"Fine," he muttered to himself. "It'll show up when it's ready."
Deciding to focus on dinner, Naoki headed toward the kitchen—only to stop mid-step as a sudden thought struck him.
Flutter Mane was a Paradox Pokémon, a creature from ancient times, known for its violent and predatory nature.
The terrifying image of Roaring Moon stalking prey during his previous expedition flashed through his mind. 'Could Flutter Mane have gone hunting?'
The realization made Naoki's stomach drop. The Pokémon in the ranch—were they safe?
Panicking, he ran to the door, not even bothering to change back into his shoes.
But before he could run out, Koraidon suddenly tensed, its head snapping toward the darkness outside.
"Raao!"
Naoki followed its gaze. In the dim shadows near the stable, Flutter Mane hovered silently, its spectral form partially hidden by the gloom.
It was watching Spectrier and Glastrier, the two horses of the ranch, as they calmly ate their dinner from the trough.
Naoki exhaled heavily, his nerves relaxing.
"Thank goodness..." he whispered. Nothing had happened.
"Flutter Mane, come on! It's time to eat!" he called out.
At the sound of Naoki's voice, Flutter Mane turned and floated over silently, its otherworldly presence both fascinating and unsettling.
Back in the living room, Naoki guided Flutter Mane to the kitchen and began preparing something for it to eat.
Meanwhile, Koraidon chattered away cheerfully, explaining the details of their home in its own unique way. "Raao si!"
Naoki smiled at Koraidon's enthusiasm and opened the refrigerator. Inside were fresh steaks, bottles of milk, and a selection of berries.
"Here you go, Flutter Mane," he said, setting everything on the table. "Try these!"
Flutter Mane glanced at Naoki, then turned its attention to the food. Its glowing eyes flickered between the berries and the steaks before it opened its mouth wide, revealing sharp, glinting teeth, and chomped directly into the raw steak.
Naoki froze, staring.
"Wait—what?!
Naoki was startled and grabbed hold of the raw steak, tugging firmly in an attempt to retrieve the inedible meat from Flutter Mane's sharp teeth.
"Hey, you can't eat this raw! Let go!" Naoki exclaimed, giving it another shake.
Flutter Mane blinked, confused. 'Isn't this food meant for me?' it thought. However, remembering Koraidon's earlier explanations about the ranch's customs, it relaxed its grip slightly.
But before Naoki could celebrate, his footing slipped, and he landed on the floor with a loud.
Thud.
"Ugh… ow!" Naoki groaned, rubbing his lower back.
Flutter Mane, watching from above, suddenly began to laugh—a mischievous, soft chuckle that sounded both eerie and playful.
Naoki stared up at it, wide-eyed. "Wait… are you laughing at me?"
He couldn't believe it. Flutter Mane, a Pokémon descended from the fearsome and mysterious Misdreavus, was finding humor in his tumble.
"Of course," Naoki muttered to himself, brushing off his pants with an exasperated sigh. "Just like its ancestors—an ancient trickster spirit that enjoys pranking people."
But Flutter Mane's laughter was infectious. Naoki found himself chuckling along, despite the ache in his back.
Rising to his feet, Naoki placed his hands on his hips and addressed the mischievous Pokémon. "Alright, listen up. You can't eat the steak raw. I'll cook it for you, okay? For now, why don't you try this fruit?"
He handed Flutter Mane a plump berry from the counter.
Flutter Mane stared at the berry for a moment before grasping it with its wing-like appendage. Then, with surprising ferocity, it tossed the fruit into its mouth and began chomping loudly.
"Wow," Naoki murmured. "You really are wild, huh?"
Flutter Mane's larger size—standing over a meter tall—made it far more intimidating than the modern-day Misdreavus. Its bold and untamed behavior only added to its mystique.
Turning to Koraidon, Naoki knelt down and whispered, "Hey, go explain how things work around here to Flutter Mane. Let it know I'll take care of its meals, so it doesn't need to hunt anymore. And make sure it knows not to harm any of the Pokémon on the ranch, okay?"
"Raao!" Koraidon nodded eagerly, stepping up to its companion. It gestured toward the surrounding room, its tone animated as it began explaining life on the ranch.
Naoki smiled at the sight and turned his attention back to the kitchen. He pulled out a frying pan, set it over the stovetop, and added a drizzle of oil. Once the oil began to sizzle, he placed the steak in the pan.
The rich, savory aroma of cooking meat quickly filled the room, catching the attention of both Pokémon.
Flutter Mane's nose twitched, its glowing eyes narrowing in curiosity. Koraidon also perked up, its stomach rumbling audibly.
Following the tantalizing smell, the two Pokémon approached the kitchen together.
Gurulu~!
Koraidon's stomach growled in sync with Flutter Mane's, the noise prompting a laugh from Naoki.
"Alright, alright. Be patient!" Naoki said with a grin, flipping the steaks one last time. After a moment, he plated the sizzling meat and set it down on the table in front of the eager Pokémon.
"Dig in!" he encouraged.
Koraidon wasted no time, burying its face into the plate with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Flutter Mane, meanwhile, reached out with its wing-like claws, grasped the entire steak, and stuffed it directly into its mouth in one large bite.
Naoki blinked in astonishment. "Well, I guess that works too…"
The steak was fried to a golden-brown crisp, releasing a mouthwatering aroma. Each piece was plump and juicy, and as Flutter Mane took a bite, a burst of savory juices filled its mouth.
Its blood-red eyes lit up instantly with delight.
"Mrrreeam" it exclaimed, its voice laced with surprise and joy.
Naoki chuckled as he watched both ancient Pokémon enthusiastically devouring their meals.
"Eat up! If that's not enough, I'll whip up some more for you," he said warmly, pleased by their enjoyment.
---
Meanwhile, far away in the Kanto region, deep in the northern outskirts of Lavender Town, stood an abandoned power plant. The area was eerily quiet, devoid of human activity.
Within the plant, hidden amidst the rusting generators and flickering sparks of residual electricity, Mew and Teddiursa floated back to a familiar spot.
At the heart of the power plant, perched atop a massive generator, rested a bird Pokémon with striking yellow plumage. Its body was adorned with jagged, lightning-bolt-like feathers, and its sharp green beak gleamed faintly in the dim light. This was Zapdos, the Legendary Pokemon.
Zapdos appeared to be dozing, its wings folded and its eyes shut. But as Mew and Teddiursa approached, it suddenly stirred, its keen senses alerting it to their presence.
The Legendary Pokémon's eyes snapped open, and it fixed its piercing gaze on the two intruders.
Then, recognizing them, its tense expression softened, and it let out a sharp, inquisitive cry. "Chiu?" (Why are you here?)
Mew floated closer, its soft voice melodic as it answered, "Mew!" (We're here to invite you to live with us in our hometown!)
Teddiursa, standing by Mew's side, nodded vigorously, its black eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Ursa! Ursa!" (That's right! Our hometown! If you come with us, no humans will bother you anymore!)
Zapdos tilted its head, its sharp feathers shifting as it considered their words. It had chosen this power plant as a sanctuary precisely because humans had abandoned it. The faint hum of lingering electricity had made it the perfect retreat.
But recently, its peace had been disturbed.
Not long ago, a human had stumbled upon the plant and attempted to capture it. Zapdos, furious at the intrusion, had unleashed its thunder to drive the human away. It had thought that would be the end of the matter, but more humans followed, each one more determined than the last.
Even powerful trainers came, and in one particularly fierce battle, Zapdos had been injured.
During this tumultuous time, it had encountered Mew and Teddiursa, who called themselves the "Great Hero Expedition Team."
Zapdos had been skeptical at first, but the pair had brought it berries that eased its pain and stayed by its side until it recovered. Their kindness had left a lasting impression.
Now, hearing their offer, Zapdos blinked in surprise. "Chiu?" (Your hometown?) it asked, its voice tinged with uncertainty.
Teddiursa nodded eagerly, raising its tiny paws to gesture as it explained.
"Ursa! Ursa, Ursa!" (Yes! There's a World Tree there! Naoki said it's going to grow so big—bigger than a mountain! If you live there, no humans will bother you. That's why we came to invite you to stay with us at the World Tree!)