The next morning, Naoki woke up at the first light of dawn. It was drizzling outside, and the sky was a soft gray, with the entire pasture shrouded in a misty veil. The wet grass glistened faintly in the diffused light.
"Is it still raining?" Naoki murmured to himself as he opened the door to let the cool breeze in. He then took out some sandwiches and eggs from the refrigerator, quickly assembled a few simple sandwiches, and asked Cyclizar to deliver them to Glaceon.
After finishing his own breakfast, Naoki noticed that Dragonite was already waiting under the eaves, wearing its little red bag and ready to go to work. Naoki handed Dragonite two bottles of packaged goat milk. "Thank you for your hard work!"
"Ouch~" Dragonite chirped happily as it collected the goat milk and disappeared into the rain.
Naoki then put on his rain boots, grabbed an umbrella, and stepped out of the house. He turned to see Cyclizar and Koraidon looking eager to follow him but quickly stopped them. "I'm just going to feed the Gogoat. Stay in the house; I'll be back soon!"
On rainy days, the ground would be muddy, and although Koraidon and Cyclizar wouldn't roll in the mud, their claws would still get dirty, tracking mud all over the house. So the two Pokémon stayed under the eaves, watching as Naoki walked into the misty drizzle.
The rain didn't dampen the spirits of the Gogoat at all. When Naoki arrived, the entire pen had transformed into a vibrant stage, with the three Gogoat dancing wildly, their energy creating flashes of neon-like light. Smoliv stood nearby, swaying gently as it absorbed the rich Grass-type energy.
Naoki poured a bag of grass balls into the feed trough and filled the water trough with fresh water. The Gogoat immediately gathered around, eagerly eating their breakfast.
Naoki watched them with a sense of pride. The Gogoat had grown significantly stronger, and their height had noticeably increased since they evolved. When fully upright, they almost exuded an aura of strength, reminiscent of the legendary swordsmen.
Shaking off these fanciful thoughts, Naoki moved on to the chicken coop. He took out the feed from the silo, filled the trough, and then closed the doors and windows to protect the hens from the rain, ensuring they wouldn't get sick.
In the Pokémon House, the three Miltank had already milked themselves. Naoki carefully poured the milk into a bucket, moved it to a corner, and then took out a brush to groom them. The Miltank looked content as Naoki brushed their fur, clearly enjoying the attention.
For the Miltank, life on the ranch was truly blissful. They were cared for daily, with help in milking, feeding, grooming, and access to fresh, fertile grass. They had come to love their new home.
As Naoki brushed them, he observed their moods. Seeing how content and happy they have brought him a deep sense of satisfaction.
Despite their similar appearance, each Miltank had a distinct personality. One was particularly gentle and caring, often sharing its fresh milk with the smaller Pokémon on the ranch. Another was more reserved, preferring to graze quietly in the field and bask in the sun on clear days, enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
The third Miltank was lively and active, always full of energy and fighting spirit. It enjoyed interacting with the other Pokémon on the ranch, bringing a sense of vitality wherever it went.
"Alright, all done!" Naoki said as he patted the head of the spirited Miltank. He hung the brush on the wall and added, "You all go ahead and play! I still need to feed the Nacli next door."
The Miltank trio mooed in agreement, content and ready to enjoy the rest of their day. Naoki smiled at them before turning to head to the next room.
As a Rock-type Pokémon, Nacli didn't enjoy rainy days. They preferred to stay indoors during such weather, avoiding the dampness outside. As Naoki approached the salt house, he pictured the five small figures in his mind and couldn't help but smile before pushing the door open.
The first thing he noticed was a massive, rocky figure. It was a Pokémon entirely made of rocks, with a body that seemed to be constructed out of large, square blocks.
Naoki's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. The Nacli had evolved! During the rainy night, one of the Nacli had transformed into a Naclstack!
Before Naoki entered, the other four Nacli were already gathered around their newly evolved companion, looking up at it with envy and admiration. But as soon as they noticed Naoki, they excitedly ran over to him, surrounding him with their usual cheerful chatter.
"Nacli, Nacli!"
"Nacli, Nacli."
The newly evolved Naclstack also moved forward, its large limbs making it seem even more formidable.
"Naclstack~" it called out, its voice now deeper and more resonant compared to when it was a Nacli. The sound was a powerful blend, almost like a mix of thunder and stone grinding together.
Naoki looked at the Naclstack with curiosity and asked, "When did you evolve?"
"Stack..stack!" Naclstack replied, explaining that just last night, while it was sleeping soundly, it suddenly felt a surge of magical power coursing through its body. When it awoke, it found itself in its current, more powerful form.
"Congratulations!" Naoki said with a smile, reaching out to touch its head.
But before his hand could make contact, Naclstack suddenly produced a massive amount of crystal-clear, pure rock salt. The rock salt poured out in such an abundance that, in mere seconds, a towering "salt mountain" had formed on the ground nearby.
"Wow!" Naoki exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. He knew that Naclstack could produce more rock salt than Nacli, but he hadn't expected anything this extreme. The amount produced in just one go exceeded what the Nacli had been able to generate over the past two weeks combined!
The Naclstack, still cheerful and carefree, looked at the pile of rock salt and then back at Naoki. "Stack! stack~" it chirped happily.
Despite the carefree life on the ranch, Naclstack had not forgotten its past. It still remembered how Naoki had protected them, cared for them, and brought them back to the ranch from the dangerous wild when they were lost and helpless. It remembered how Naoki had built a beautiful house for them to live in.
Now, in its simple yet sincere way, Naclstack wanted to express its gratitude to the human who had done so much for them. It nudged Naoki affectionately with its square head, trying to convey its feelings.
Even though they couldn't speak the same language, Naoki could feel the deep emotions emanating from the innocent Pokémon in front of him. Naclstack was expressing its heartfelt thanks.
The emotions of Rock-type Pokémon, Naoki realized, were as simple and steadfast as the mountains themselves.
Naoki was deeply touched. He placed a hand on Naclstack and said warmly, "Thank you, Naclstack. I can feel your kindness."
"Stack~" Naclstack responded, its voice full of warmth.
Meanwhile, the four Nacli that had yet to evolve watched the scene with eager envy. They hopped up and down, chirping, "Nacli, Nacli, Nacl!"
Seeing their enthusiasm, Naoki smiled and picked each one up in turn, giving them gentle words of encouragement. "You have to work hard too! But remember, Naclstack is not the final stage—there's still Garganacl waiting for you further up the path."
"Nacli, Nacli!" The Nacli chorused, their voices filled with determination. They were eager to try their best!
At that moment, Naoki suddenly recalled that the final evolution, the Garganacl, would stand more than two meters tall. If all five Nacli evolved into Garganacl, the current salt house would become far too small and cramped for them.
"It seems I'll have to ask Kora about building a bigger salt house," Naoki murmured to himself.
He then returned to the cabin, grabbed a bag to collect the pile of rock salt, and told Alcremie about the evolution of the Nacli.
As expected, after hearing the news, Alcremie immediately wanted to go see for herself.
So Naoki took Alcremie to the salt house.
When she first saw the towering Naclstack, Alcremie was taken aback. "Alcremie." she murmured in shock.
Was this really the little Nacli she used to play with?
Alcremie had always been the big sister among the Nacli, leading them around and playing together. But now, seeing the Naclstack, which was bigger than herself, she suddenly felt like the roles had reversed.
It was as if the little sibling who used to follow her around had suddenly grown up overnight.
Naclstack, however, didn't notice Alcremie's surprise. When it saw her, it happily greeted her, "Stack~"
Naoki, who was busy packing the rock salt nearby, turned to Alcremie and said, "When the Naclstack evolve again, they'll be even bigger! By then, they'll be taller than me!"
"Alcremie?!" Alcremie was even more astonished.
Naoki added with a smile, "Then you can stand on the Garganacl and have them carry you around."
He imagined a scene where five Garganacl were lifting Alcremie high into the air, making her look like a knight riding on mighty giants.
Hearing this, both the Nacli and Naclstack were thrilled, eagerly looking forward to that day.
"Alright, I'm going to put the rock salt away. Do you want to come back with me or stay and play with the Nacli?" Naoki asked as he stood up.
The Nacli and Naclstack clearly wanted Alcremie to stay and play with them.
Seeing the familiar, eager expressions on their faces, Alcremie realized that no matter how much they had changed, they were still the same good friends who had always played together. So, without hesitation, Alcremie nodded happily, indicating she wanted to stay and play with the Nacli.
"Okay," Naoki said with a smile. "You all have fun. I won't disturb you!"
He left the salt house, carrying the bag of rock salt.
The rain outside hadn't let up. As Naoki stored the rock salt away, Dragonite returned from delivering the milk.
Dragonite landed under the eaves, and Naoki went over to remove the bag from its waist. He then took out a towel to help dry off the rain-soaked Dragonite.
There wasn't much work that could be done on rainy days. The fields didn't need watering, and the hens couldn't graze, so Naoki decided to give both Pawmi and Dragonite a day off to relax at home.
Dragonite sat on the floor, next to a basket of small bread rolls that Naoki had made. The rolls were small enough for Dragonite to eat in one bite.
Pawmi watched the scene with admiration, ever since seeing Dragonite unleash so much electricity the day before, Pawmi had developed a deep respect for the powerful Pokémon.
Naoki noticed this and suddenly realized how interesting it was to observe the interactions between the different Pokémon on the ranch.
Like the friendship between Alcremie and the Nacli, the bond between Butterfree and the Combee, the playful rivalry between Cyclizar and Koraidon, or even the flowers the Pokémon had given to Glaceon.
Of course, the most amusing pair was Cyclizar and Koraidon.
It turned out that Pokémon could indeed get jealous of each other over their trainer's affection.
For example, right now, Naoki was sitting on the carpet watching TV, initially leaning against Cyclizar. But he soon noticed a jealous expression on Koraidon's face.
So, Naoki stood up, made a cup of the black tea Madame Dantes had given him, and sat down beside Koraidon instead.
Koraidon immediately beamed with happiness.
Seeing this, Naoki moved back to Cyclizar.
Koraidon started to pout again, clearly feeling left out.
"Pfft!" Naoki couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
Koraidon, who had been intently observing the distance between Naoki and the Cyclizar, finally noticed Naoki's behavior. His eyes widened in shock, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"Ah, gah!"
Koraidon then turned away and began to sulk.
Seeing this, Naoki quickly moved closer to comfort him. "Alright, I didn't mean it. Come over and watch TV with me!"
Koraidon lay on the carpet, closing his eyes as if pretending to be asleep, but his slightly twitching eyelids gave him away.
Cyclizar, noticing Koraidon's behavior, tilted his head in confusion, looking at Koraidon with a puzzled expression. "Gaao?"
Koraidon pretended not to hear anything.
Naoki, trying to break the tension, said, "Cyclizar, Dragonite, and Pawmi are all looking at you!"
At this, Koraidon could no longer keep up the act. He felt embarrassed—thinking he used to see himself as calm and collected, but now his behavior seemed no different from before. How could Cyclizar see him like this?
Feeling a mix of shame and frustration, Koraidon wanted to flee the scene. But just as he was about to, Naoki patted the spot next to him and said, "Come on, let's watch TV together!"
Koraidon hesitated for a moment before running over and laying down behind Naoki, positioning himself as a makeshift pillow.
Cyclizar, still baffled by Koraidon's behavior, tilted his head further, "Gaao?"
Koraidon closed his eyes tighter, trying to ignore everything around him.
Naoki, watching this scene unfold, had to suppress a laugh. This Koraidon had such a charmingly silly side! Despite his fierce and imposing appearance, he was calm and reliable, though he occasionally let his guard down, showing a more playful, almost childish side, just like Cyclizar.
Naoki gently grabbed Koraidon's big paw, holding it as he pondered.
What should I say at a time like this? he thought.
Are you all my wings? The thought made him smile as he considered how these Pokémon were more than just companions—they were his partners in every sense.
Just then, something on the TV caught Naoki's attention.
"Starting today, the Terastallization, jointly discovered by Professor Sada and Professor Turo, will officially be used in battle. Can this new battle technique ignite a revolution in the world of Pokémon training? Stay tuned!"
The screen showed two trainers engaged in a fierce Pokémon battle, both utilizing Terastallization in their strategies.
Naoki blinked in surprise. "Terastallization is being introduced into battles now?"
He had thought this new technique had already been in use!
"No wonder the trainers I met before didn't use Terastallization," Naoki muttered. But this also confirmed just how early in the timeline he was. Arven was still young, and many key events had yet to unfold. It would be at least another ten years before the major events of the Pokémon world began to take shape.
Ten years from now. Naoki realized with a start. He would be thirty years old by then!
...
"Wow, we're so close to hitting 2,000 powerstones! Let's celebrate and make that final push together!"
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