The battlefield was set as Iono's Electrode, a playful yet formidable Pokémon with its red-and-white spherical body, rolled smoothly into position. Across from it stood Naoki's Pawmot, proud in its red cape and clutching a small hammer, its determined gaze locked on its opponent.
Electrode, use Discharge!" Iono commanded energetically.
Electricity surged through Electrode's body, glowing fiercely before bursting out in a dazzling radial pattern, scattering lightning across the battlefield.
Naoki remained calm, silently observing. He didn't issue a command because Pawmot had the Volt Absorb ability, rendering Electric-type moves ineffective while allowing it to convert the energy into health.
As the electric surge enveloped Pawmot, it didn't flinch. Instead, it boldly charged forward, hammer raised, as the current coursed harmlessly through its body.
"Pamo!" cried Pawmot.
The electricity, drawn to Pawmot like a magnet, surged into its body and the hammer it carried. Both began to glow with a vivid blue current, resembling the power of a storm. Pawmot's eyes sparkled with the same energy, embodying a thunderous deity.
Iono's jaw dropped in shock. "Is that… Volt Absorb?!" she exclaimed.
But this was more than absorption—Pawmot was using Electrode's power to amplify its own strength.
"How can it turn my attack into an advantage?" Iono thought, feeling the weight of the challenge.
Electrode hovered cautiously, awaiting further instructions. Sensing the danger, Iono adjusted her strategy quickly.
"Electrode, stay on guard! Dodge its attacks!"
Meanwhile, Naoki issued a command. "Finish charging, Pawmot."
Pawmot's hammer crackled with growing intensity, its cape fluttering dramatically as it leapt high into the air.
From above, it descended rapidly, bringing the hammer down in a crackling arc of lightning that resembled a thunderbolt striking the battlefield.
Iono's eyes widened. "What kind of move is that?!"
The hammer smashed into the ground with a deafening explosion, leaving behind a smoking crater. Electrode, though injured, managed to roll out of the impact zone. It was battered but still had some fight left.
Electrode backed away, putting distance between itself and the electrified Pawmot.
"Chase it down!" Naoki ordered. "Use Thunder wave!"
Pawmot transformed into a blur of light, moving with incredible speed. It closed the gap in an instant, slamming into Electrode and sending it tumbling across the field.
Iono clenched her fists nervously. "Electrode! Are you okay?" she called out.
The resilient Electrode wobbled but managed to right itself, earning nods of respect from both trainers for its determination.
Naoki observed quietly. "Impressive perseverance," he admitted.
Iono saw an opportunity and acted quickly. "Electrode, use Screech!"
Electrode trembled and emitted a piercing, high-pitched sound that filled the air. The harsh noise echoed across the field, sharp enough to make spectators wince.
Pawmot faltered, its sensitive ears overwhelmed by the sound. It instinctively raised its paws to cover its ears, leaving itself exposed.
"Don't show any weaknesses!" Naoki warned. "Hammer attack!"
Pawmot reacted swiftly, hurling its charged hammer toward Electrode. However, the disorienting sound caused its aim to falter. Electrode dodged the incoming weapon with a nimble roll.
As the screeching noise reached its peak, Pawmot closed its eyes and pressed both paws firmly over its ears, floating unsteadily in mid-air, completely vulnerable.
Iono's grin widened as she seized the moment. "Alright, Mr. Naoki, I'm not holding back anymore! Electrode, use Foul Play!"
The grating noise stopped abruptly, and Electrode's body radiated with dark energy. Its spherical form launched forward.
Foul Play, a move that weaponized the target's strength against them, was aimed directly at Pawmot in its weakened state.
Just when Iono thought she and Electrode had secured victory, her eyes shifted to Naoki, standing calmly across the battlefield.
There wasn't a hint of panic on his face. Instead, a small, knowing smile played at the corners of his mouth, as if he were anticipating something.
Something was wrong.
Iono's chest tightened with a sense of foreboding.
And then, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.
Iono whipped her head around and saw Pawmot's hammer flying back toward it at an incredible speed, as if drawn by an invisible force.
The problem? Electrode was directly in its path!
"What?!" Iono's eyes widened in shock.
"Dodge it!" she shouted, her voice ringing with urgency.
She knew Electrode was already hanging by a thread, sustained only by sheer determination. One more hit, and it would surely faint.
But it was too late.
Before the words had fully left her lips, the hammer slammed into Electrode with a deafening clang, sending it crashing into the ground.
The sphere-shaped Pokémon rolled to a stop, its eyes spiraling in defeat. It had fainted.
A sharp whistle blew, signaling the end of the trial.
Iono froze for a moment, then let out a dramatic sigh. "Mr. Naoki, you're incredible!"
Naoki walked over to Pawmot, kneeling to rub its temples soothingly. "That Electrode wasn't your strongest Pokémon, was it?" he asked, a teasing edge in his tone.
Iono grinned sheepishly, brushing her hair back. "You got me! But it looks like you're holding back, too. I can tell there's a lot of talent here."
Her spirits didn't waver despite the loss. Instead, her eyes sparkled with renewed determination.
"Oh, I can't stand losing, but now I know why the Chairwoman sent us here!"
Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to continue? There are plenty of other trials at the ranch besides the Lightning Trial."
Iono waved her hands in mock surrender. "No way! I need a break first. I've got a feeling you'd knock out all my Pokémon without breaking a sweat!"
Naoki simply smiled, not denying the claim.
At that moment, Sister Indeedee walked onto the battlefield, holding a cup of Gogoat milk. She offered it to Electrode, who quickly recovered after drinking it.
In an instant, the fainted Pokémon was back to its energetic self, bouncing lightly on the ground.
Iono blinked in astonishment. "What… What kind of medicine is that?! It worked so fast!"
Naoki chuckled. "It's not medicine. This is Gogoat milk, a specialty of our ranch. It's great for helping Pokémon recover their energy."
Iono's eyes lit up with curiosity. She glanced at the herd of Dragonite lounging on the grass nearby. "Do the Dragonite deliver this to town every day?"
She seemed to be struck with sudden inspiration. "Wait! Could people in Levincia order things like this from your ranch?"
Naoki shook his head apologetically. "Not yet. We don't offer cross-city delivery services."
"Aww, what a shame…" Iono pouted, looking genuinely disappointed.
Seeing her expression, Naoki seemed to consider something. "By the way, have you heard of the Rotom Phone?"
"Rotom Phone?" Iono tilted her head, intrigued. "Is it like the Rotom Fridge or Rotom Washing Machine?"
"Something like that," Naoki replied with a nod. "Rotom Tech is supposedly developing it right now."
Rotom Tech was a company renowned for creating innovative gadgets powered by Rotom, such as refrigerators and washing machines.
Iono frowned thoughtfully. "Huh, I've never heard of it."
Naoki didn't press further.
He realized that, given the current stage of technology, Iono probably hadn't been exposed to concepts like live streaming or content creation, which were closely tied to devices like the Rotom Phone. For now, it was better to leave it at that.
Fortunately, Iono didn't take offense and was quickly captivated by the two majestic horse Pokemon.
"Wow! Mr. Naoki, you have horse Pokémon here too!" Iono exclaimed with excitement. "I've been to a few ranches with horse farms before, and riding across an open field on horseback is such a thrill!"
Naoki: "…"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this ranch doesn't operate as a horse farm. These two Pokémon are incredibly proud and don't allow themselves to be ridden. They're the personal mounts of the King of Bountiful Harvests."
After all, Glastrier and Spectrier aren't ordinary Pokémon. They once ruled the Crown Tundra as legendary steeds before becoming the exclusive mounts of Calyrex.
At that moment, Glastrier snorted and cast an arrogant glance toward Iono, its expression full of icy disdain, exuding a regal and intimidating aura.
"The king's personal steeds?" Iono said, astonished.
"Calyrex," Naoki said, taking the opportunity to explain. "The legendary King of Bountiful Harvests. It's said that he once rode Glastrier and Spectrier across the lands, spreading abundance."
"Wait, hold on!" Iono interrupted, her disbelief evident. "The King of Bountiful Harvests? Are you talking about the Calyrex that was featured on TV?"
Naoki nodded, smiling slightly.
Iono clarified, "No, what I mean is… Calyrex is actually here, at your ranch?"
Naoki pointed toward the living room. "The King of Bountiful Harvests is currently inside, watching TV."
"What?!" Iono's eyes went wide in shock.
Naoki proceeded to tell Iono about Calyrex in detail, explaining how the legendary Pokémon had made the ranch its home, how the two steeds had chosen to remain alongside their king, and how a shrine had been built on a nearby hill to honor Calyrex for its contributions to the region.
By the time he finished, Iono was fully convinced—and utterly awed.
Follower of the King of Bountiful Harvests +1.
...
By four o'clock in the afternoon, Iono had to leave. She mentioned that she only had a single day off and needed to return to Levincia to prepare for the next batch of challengers at her gym.
Before she left, Iono spent a hefty sum to buy ten bottles of Gogoat milk, praising its exceptional quality. She also expressed her hope that Naoki would someday offer cross-city Dragonite delivery services so that trainers in Levincia could enjoy the ranch's specialties without traveling so far.
Naoki could only smile apologetically. "I'd love to, but I'm a bit worried about sending Dragonite on long-distance routes."
The concern wasn't just about potential troublemakers—Naoki also worried that Dragonites might get distracted or lost along the way.
Thus, all of this would have to wait until the Rotom Phone came into existence.
With this thought, Naoki returned home and glanced at his modest savings.
An idea suddenly struck him.
What if he used his earnings to invest in Nemona's father company? He could even provide research directions to accelerate the development of a Rotom Phone!
It was a brilliant idea, but there was one problem: Naoki was just a farmer in a small countryside town and had no way of meeting someone as wealthy and influential as Nemona's father.
Still, the thought lingered, and Naoki found himself mulling over the potential functions of the Rotom Phone as depicted in the anime.
As he pondered, his gaze drifted to Calyrex sitting on the sofa, engrossed in watching television. He suddenly recalled the "Cla-chi-chi" sound Calyrex had made when trying to communicate with him back in Kitakami Township.
Telepathy, it seemed, didn't work over phone lines.
Naoki had always assumed the Rotom Phone was primarily for navigation and positioning—a tool to assist Dragonite during deliveries. But now, it seemed its potential extended far beyond that.
As everyone knew, Rotom was a Pokémon. Even when integrated into appliances, it retained the ability to communicate.
If every Pokémon had access to a Rotom Phone, couldn't they communicate directly with him?
Naoki's imagination soared. A Pokémon could speak into its Rotom Phone, and the Rotom would automatically transcode and translate the message for the recipient.
Calyrex could watch TV and surf the internet through such a device.
But it wouldn't stop there. He imagined Giratina, residing in the Distortion World, casually sunbathing on Flower Sky Island, using a Rotom Phone to stay connected.
The thought sparked an even grander idea.
With so many legendary Pokémon at the ranch—like Koraidon, Mew, and Giratina—why not create a chat group exclusively for legendary Pokémon?
Naoki pictured them chatting, sharing experiences, and forming unexpected bonds. It was an amusing concept, but one concern loomed large.
What if Giratina, with its fiery temper, became an online troll? Would it crawl through the internet cables to confront anyone who disagreed with it?
"I wonder how much it would cost to invest in something like this..." Naoki muttered to himself.
He decided it would be wise to gather more information before making any decisions.
As dusk fell, Naoki planned to go outside and spend some time with the Pokémon. However, he suddenly remembered the Poké Ball and photo Zapdos had delivered earlier.
"Oh no, I almost forgot!" Naoki exclaimed, slapping his forehead.
He quickly retrieved the items from the Poké Ball rack and inspected the latest friends Mew and Teddiursa had made.
As always, the photo bore the paw prints of Mew and Teddiursa on the back. This time, however, there was a third mark—a distinctive Zapdos talon print.
Naoki hadn't noticed it at first, but once he did, a smile crept across his face.
Turning the photo over, he saw a dense, verdant forest in the background. A winding river snaked its way through the trees, its surface shimmering under dappled sunlight.
By the river stood a familiar group of figures. Mew and Teddiursa smiled brightly at the camera, flanked by a Zapdos carrying its signature red satchel, gazing defiantly into the lens.
In the center of the group stood a Pokémon Naoki had seen before—a Farfetch'd with a determined expression, piercing eyes, and a long, sturdy stalk resembling a sword gripped tightly in its wing.
...
Extra Chapter @ 1000 Powerstones.
....
If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 364 at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818