On March 8, Year 199 of the Alliance Calendar, Naoki successfully returned to the Paldea region.
Not long after arriving home, Mayor Thomas paid a visit to Naoki's ranch.
Before Naoki could greet the Pokémon on the ranch, he hurried to welcome the mayor into the living room. The elderly man, leaning on a cane, sat on the sofa with a kind expression and asked warmly:
"Did the exchange meeting go well? I hear the tourism in Kitakami is thriving and attracts many visitors each year!"
Hearing this, Naoki sighed deeply, too exhausted to complain.
"Kosaji Town is still the best," he replied with a tired smile.
"Oh?" Mayor Thomas raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Did something happen there?"
Naoki nodded and began to recount his experiences in Kitakami. He detailed the story of Ogerpon, the three companion Pokémon, and the Chief of Kitakami Township's efforts to use the legend of the companions to boost tourism.
When Naoki finished, Mayor Thomas sat in stunned silence.
"I can't believe it. How could something like this happen?" he murmured, visibly troubled.
Naoki, however, offered a more optimistic note.
"At least I brought Ogerpon back. It doesn't have to endure that anymore."
He then reached for Ogerpon's Poké Ball. A flash of white light illuminated the room, and Ogerpon appeared. Seeing the unfamiliar environment and new faces, Ogerpon panicked slightly, quickly covering its face with its hands.
"Don't be afraid," Naoki reassured. "This is Mayor Thomas. He's very kind and won't harm you."
"Pon...?" Ogerpon hesitantly peeked through its fingers at the elderly man.
Mayor Thomas offered a warm smile. "Relax, little one. You're safe here. No one will hurt you. You're welcome to visit the town anytime. I'm sure everyone will love you."
Ogerpon blinked, startled by the welcome. Such words were entirely new to it. 'Was this kindness real?'
Naoki nodded encouragingly. "Of course! Just like in Kitakami, Kosaji Town has lively celebrations. You can join in and enjoy yourself without any fear."
"Pon!" Ogerpon's eyes sparkled with hope.
Watching this interaction, Mayor Thomas sighed deeply.
"What a poor child," he said softly.
Naoki held up the four masks Ogerpon had brought with it.
"Ogerpon, do you want to keep wearing these masks?" he asked gently.
He understood why Ogerpon had worn them in Kitakami—to hide its face and blend in with the villagers. But in Kosaji Town, everyone loved Pokémon, and Ogerpon's natural charm would surely win hearts. Perhaps it no longer needed to hide.
Explaining his thoughts, Naoki awaited Ogerpon's decision. The Pokémon looked down at the masks, then at Mayor Thomas, and finally nodded with joyful leaps.
"Pon!"
"All right," Naoki said with a smile. "I'll take good care of these for you."
"Pon~" Ogerpon chirped happily.
With pressing matters to attend to, Mayor Thomas soon left the ranch, satisfied that Ogerpon would be safe.
Naoki seized the opportunity to release all his Pokémon from their Poké Balls. Alcremie and Glaceon were already hiding behind the sofa, eavesdropping on the earlier conversation. Seeing Ogerpon now, Alcremie's eyes welled with tears, and Glaceon radiated protective anger.
Ogerpon looked at its new companions with wide eyes and murmured softly, "Pon~"
Naoki chuckled, patting Alcremie and Glaceon on their heads.
"I'm counting on you two to take care of Ogerpon. I have some errands in town."
Alcremie nodded eagerly and led Ogerpon on a tour of the ranch, with Glaceon following closely behind.
As the Pokémon left, Calyrex appeared in the living room, elegantly resuming its spot on the sofa to continue watching TV. Meanwhile, Dragonite darted off to water the crops, grumbling about how other Dragonites might have neglected their duties in its absence.
When it thought of this, Dragonite felt very proud. It was the most reliable and capable Dragonite, and Naoki's favorite Dragonite!
Flutter Mane floated away silently, its destination a mystery as always.
In the living room, Naoki crouched by the fireplace, holding a fruit to attract the Slugma crawling slowly across the floor.
"Come on, little one," he coaxed.
The Slugma gazed at the fruit and slowly crept into the fireplace. Naoki fed it the fruit, smiling as the small Pokémon looked dazed but content.
"You can rest here for now," he said softly. "I'll find someone in town to help build you a proper nest."
"Pa-mo! Pa-mo!"
Pawmot chirped excitedly, squatting by the fireplace to watch its new companion with delight.
In this way, the Slugma would soon have a warm, cozy home!
"Play with the Slugma for a while. I'm heading out for a bit," Naoki said to Pawmot.
"Pamo!"
Pawmot replied enthusiastically, its eyes never leaving the Slugma. It began chatting away in its own language, "Pamo Pamo!" No one could quite decipher what it was saying, but it seemed engrossed in its conversation.
Naoki didn't pay much attention. After ensuring everything was in order, he left the ranch, riding on Koraidon to Kelly's forest cabin.
At the cabin, Kelly was busy sawing wood outside. She looked up in surprise as Naoki approached.
"Well, look who it is! You don't visit often."
Naoki sighed inwardly but got straight to the point.
"Do you have materials or designs for a heating system suitable for Pokemon?"
Kelly paused her work, intrigued.
"Heating pipes, huh? For a Slugma?" she guessed.
Naoki nodded. "Exactly."
Kelly set down her saw and removed her gloves, heading inside the cabin.
"I still have the blueprints for your ranch. Are you looking to install the system just in the living room or throughout the house?"
"The whole house!" Naoki declared without hesitation. He wanted the Slugma to have plenty of room to move around freely.
Kelly glanced over the blueprint thoughtfully.
"Well, adding heating pipes throughout the house will require some structural changes, and it'll cost more. Oh, and you only have a fireplace in the living room, right?"
"That's correct," Naoki said. He wasn't too concerned about the cost. The ranch's income was stable, with goat milk, eggs, and other products fetching excellent prices in the market.
"Then it's doable," Kelly said, making a few adjustments to the blueprints. She added, "I'm helping out with a wine cellar at Cherry Orchard today, so I won't be able to start until tomorrow."
"That's fine. No rush," Naoki replied.
Kelly smiled warmly. "Great. I'll head to your ranch tomorrow and get started."
After saying their goodbyes, Naoki made a quick stop at the market. He purchased a batch of fresh ingredients before heading back to the ranch.
When he returned, however, a surprising scene greeted him.
A group of Pokémon had gathered around a large, unfamiliar Pokémon—so tall it seemed as if it could touch the treetops.
Naoki paused in surprise.
Hearing his approach, the Pokémon turned to look at him. The towering Pokémon, draped in a leafy green coat and with a brown skirt-like lower body, raised its head. Its collar of dense green leaves obscured its neck, but its familiar eyes caught Naoki's attention immediately.
"Dolliv...?" Naoki murmured in disbelief. Then he corrected himself. "No, wait... Arboliva?"
He put down the groceries and walked forward, gazing up at the tall, elegant Pokémon.
Arboliva—formerly Dolliv—looked at him with a gentle expression.
The evolution had completely transformed it. The playful immaturity of Dolliv was gone, replaced by a serene and dependable aura.
Naoki couldn't help but smile. His Pokémon had grown into something extraordinary.
Naoki took a deep breath, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "That's amazing, Arboliva. Congratulations."
At that moment, Alcremie gazed up at the towering figure of Arboliva, now standing tall and majestic. As one of the first Pokémon to arrive on the ranch together, Alcremie was genuinely happy for Arboliva's evolution, but a small tinge of envy flickered in her heart.
"Alcremie..." she murmured softly, wishing she could evolve further.
Sensing Alcremie's mood, Arboliva extended a leafy arm and gently lifted her onto its broad shoulders.
"Alcremieii!"
Alcremie cried out in surprise, but the playful gesture brought a smile to her face.
Watching this heartwarming interaction, Naoki felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him.
He vividly remembered Arboliva when it first arrived at the ranch. Back then, it was still a shy, tiny Smoliv that preferred to stay in a small flowerpot on the windowsill, basking in the sun.
When it evolved into Dolliv, its personality didn't change much—it remained reserved and timid. But occasionally, it would join in Glaceon's games or rest near the lush pastures where the Gogoat roamed and the World Tree stood tall.
Now, with its evolution into Arboliva, it had grown significantly—towering at nearly four meters like a mighty tree. This was far larger than the average Arboliva, which typically stood at around 1.5 meters.
Naoki cast a thoughtful glance at the World Tree and the fertile pastures.
"Could it be the natural energy around the World Tree?" he wondered aloud.
The World Tree's energy was known to be rich and abundant, often attracting Pokémon like Gogoat and Dolliv to bask in its presence. This energy, in large quantities, could have contributed to Arboliva's extraordinary growth.
If the amount is large enough, it can even cause a fight between Groudon, the god of the earth, and Kyogre, the god of the sea.
He turned his gaze to Ogerpon, who was happily observing the Pokémon around it. The sight made Naoki smile.
'It seems Ogerpon is settling in well,' he thought.
Naoki's mind drifted to the other Pokémon on the ranch. Most had evolved—Pawmot, Arboliva, Butterfree, Dugtrio—but the Naclstack still remained unevolved.
Turning his attention to the group of Naclstack gathered near Arboliva, Naoki frowned slightly. Despite all his efforts—feeding them nutritious meals, ensuring regular training, and creating the ideal environment—they had yet to evolve into Garganacl.
"Why haven't they evolved?" Naoki muttered.
He reflected on the possible reasons. There were three main causes for a Pokémon not evolving:
The Pokémon hadn't met the conditions for evolution.
The Pokémon resisted evolution, choosing to remain in its current form.
The Pokémon was wearing an Everstone.
Naoki sighed. "I'll have to figure this out after lunch," he decided.
To celebrate Ogerpon and Slugma joining the ranch, Naoki prepared an elaborate feast with the help of Indeedee. The meal included hearty meat dishes, vibrant vegetable plates, and a variety of desserts and sandwiches to suit every Pokémon's tastes.
As he stepped outside to call the Pokémon for lunch, a sudden shadow passed overhead. Looking up, Naoki saw a Zapdos descending gracefully from the sky, a small satchel hanging from its neck.
Naoki blinked. "Of course... Zapdos has officially become the delivery service for those two."
From the satchel, Naoki retrieved a photograph and a Poké Ball, sent by his adventurous Pokémon—Teddiursa and Mew.
"They've made another new friend," Naoki muttered with a smile, examining the photo.
Before he could inspect the Poké Ball, an excited voice called out from nearby.
"Is that... a Zapdos?!"
Naoki turned to see a young girl with blue and pink hair, her Magnemite-shaped hair accessory glinting in the sun. She clutched a red shoulder bag and stared at the Zapdos with wide, sparkling eyes.
"It's just like a legendary tale!" she exclaimed. "So majestic! You must be someone incredible to be recognized by Zapdos!"
...
Bonus Chapter @500 Powerstones.
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If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 362 at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818