At 10 a.m., people busily set up the celebration venue around the giant cooking pot.
Mayor Thomas arrived shortly after, looking sharp in his formal suit with a gentleman's cane in hand, followed by his Cyclizar.
The mayor stepped up to the podium, took the microphone, and addressed the crowd warmly:
"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Thanksgiving celebration! Thank you for bringing all your delicious ingredients to share. At noon, we'll combine everything in this grand pot to make a stew for everyone to enjoy!"
He added with a chuckle, "Our staff is still finalizing the setup, so please be patient—it'll be worth the wait."
Naoki stood in a quieter spot with his Pokémon companions—Dragonite, Cyclizar, Pawmot, Koraidon, and Glaceon—with Alcremie comfortably perched on Dragonite's shoulders.
Naoki glanced at Mayor Thomas's Cyclizar and turned to his own. "Hey, is that your mom?"
The Cyclizar perked up, wagging its tail and chirping happily.
"Gaooo!"
'It was!' Naoki smiled, thinking about how this Cyclizar had come to his ranch as a youngling, leaving its parents behind.
"Do you want to go say hi?" he asked gently.
Cyclizar nodded eagerly. "Gao!"
Naoki chuckled. "Okay, I'll call Mayor Thomas over. Koraidon, keep an eye on everyone, will you?"
"Ah gah" Koraidon nodded.
Before Naoki could move, Mayor Thomas noticed him and approached, his Cyclizar in tow.
"Naoki! Glad you made it! The stew isn't ready yet, so there's some time to relax," the mayor greeted with a smile.
Naoki shook his head. "No rush. Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
The mayor tilted his head curiously. "What's on your mind?"
Naoki gestured toward his Cyclizar. "My Cyclizar wants to meet his parent."
The mayor's Cyclizar recognized her child right away. Her eyes sparkled with joy, and she trotted over to nuzzle her little one.
"Gaooo!" she chirped affectionately.
"Gaooo~!" Naoki's Cyclizar responded, reassuring her mother that she was happy, healthy, and loved life on the ranch.
Just as the touching reunion unfolded, an unexpected shout interrupted:
"Raao!"
Startled, the mother Cyclizar turned to find Koraidon towering over her. With his imposing frame and intense gaze, he looked intimidating, causing the poor Cyclizar to shrink back.
Seeing her reaction, Koraidon's expression drooped. His shoulders sagged, and his voice softened sadly: "Raao..."
Mayor Thomas noticed Koraidon hanging its head and gently consoled him, "Do you miss your mother too? Even though I don't know where you came from, I can promise you this—there isn't a parent in the world who doesn't love their child."
Koraidon let out a soft, melancholic sound: "Raao…"
Naoki reached out and rested his hand on Koraidon's head, giving it a reassuring pat.
Koraidon raised its gaze to meet Naoki's.
Naoki smiled warmly and said, "Mayor Thomas is right. I know your mom would love you. But you've got us by your side now, so don't feel sad."
"Raao!" Koraidon perked up slightly, its eyes filled with determination.
It turned toward the Cyclizar beside Mayor Thomas, calling out: "Raao! Raao!"
The Cyclizar blinked in confusion, tilting its head at Koraidon's booming cries.
The mother Cyclizar hesitated, her eyes wide with surprise. 'Could this massive Pokémon somehow be connected to her?' She knew very little about the broader world beyond her quiet life with the mayor.
"Gao…?" the mother Cyclizar asked tentatively.
"Raao~" Koraidon responded cheerfully, its earlier sadness easing away.
The mother Cyclizar stared at him, bewildered. She was just an ordinary Cyclizar living in a quiet town—when had she ever had a child like this? And yet… there was something familiar about the way Koraidon looked at her.
Perhaps... could it really be one of her lost younglings?
The Cyclizar's motherly instincts kicked in. She gazed at Koraidon warmly and said softly: "Gao..." (You've been through a lot, haven't you?)
In her mind, only a Pokémon who had endured countless battles and challenges could develop such strength and presence.
Koraidon's gaze wavered for a moment, overwhelmed with emotion. But it quickly held back its tears, standing tall. It wasn't a helpless Cyclizar anymore—it was strong, ready to protect the ones it cared for.
The Cyclizar, seeing Koraidon's stoic expression, began to understand. This wasn't just a lost child—it was a powerful guardian in its own right.
The younger Cyclizar, meanwhile, looked from Koraidon to its mother, eyes brimming with worry. It hesitated for a moment. 'Was Koraidon here to take my place in my mother's heart?'
"Gao?" it asked nervously.
Koraidon looked down at the younger Cyclizar, seeing a reflection of his own past struggles. With a soft growl, Koraidon leaned in, reassuring the smaller Pokémon: "Raao…" (You'll always have a place with her.)
Hearing this, the younger Cyclizar's tense posture softened.
"Gao..." it murmured, feeling a wave of relief. Koraidon wasn't here to compete.
At that moment, the mother Cyclizar smiled warmly at both Pokémon.
...
Naoki made his way to the back of the square, walking alongside Mayor Thomas.
He gestured toward the two barrels of barley beer and the pumpkins he brought from the ranch. "Mayor Thomas, where should I place these?"
The mayor's eyes widened in surprise. "You brought so many things?"
Naoki rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "We had a great harvest this year. Honestly, we can't finish everything at home, so I figured it'd be better to share with everyone."
Mayor Thomas chuckled heartily. "That's very generous of you, Naoki! Bring them over there. We have folks—both people and Pokémon—who'll wash, cut, and prep everything for the stew."
He waved toward two cheerful townspeople, who arrived promptly with their Pokémon to help carry the pumpkins and barrels of beer to the preparation area.
Just as everything was being set up, a commotion broke out on the far side of the square.
Naoki turned, curious. "What's going on?"
Mayor Thomas grinned knowingly. "Oh, right! I almost forgot about this part!"
Naoki tilted his head. "What part?"
The mayor only offered a sly smile. "You'll see soon enough."
Still baffled, Naoki returned to his Pokémon, glancing back as Mayor Thomas made his way toward the gathering crowd, accompanied by the mother Cyclizar.
Soon, Naoki saw six strong Pokémon carrying a large object into the center of the celebration square. The object was massive, and a dark cloth covered it, concealing its shape.
With a heavy thud, the object was placed down in the heart of the square.
Naoki squinted, trying to make sense of what it might be.
Mayor Thomas stepped forward and, with a theatrical flair, pulled off the black cloth.
The crowd gasped, and Naoki's eyes widened in amazement.
Before them stood a grand, towering statue—a magnificent likeness of the King of Bountiful Harvests!
Naoki's eyes widened, and before he could stop himself, he muttered under his breath, "Oh, Arceus!"
Mayor Thomas already had the microphone in hand, addressing the curious crowd gathered in the square.
"This year, we had an extraordinary harvest in Kosaji Town! Our crops grew healthier and yielded more than those in neighboring towns. I'm sure many of you are wondering how this could happen."
The crowd murmured in agreement. Mayor Thomas smiled knowingly.
"Let me introduce you to the reason for our abundance: The King of Bountiful Harvests!"
Naoki blinked, suppressing a grin. 'Well, I guess I don't need to spread the word anymore. These folks are already doing it on their own.'
Around him, curious whispers rippled through the audience.
Mayor Thomas continued passionately, "On this Thanksgiving, we express our gratitude not only to the fertile land that sustains us but also to the King of Bountiful Harvest for blessing us with prosperity!"
Naoki watched in amusement as the townspeople became more enchanted by the story of the King of Bountiful Harvests.
In truth, compared to other legendary Pokémon, the King of Bountiful Harvests—also known as Calyrex—was remarkably unassuming.
He required no grand sacrifices or elaborate ceremonies. Simply remembering His name gave Him the strength to continue existing.
Moreover, as the stories went, the more people who believed in Him, the stronger His power became. But Calyrex did not hoard this strength. Instead, He shared it freely with those who believed in Him, boosting their harvests and ensuring the land flourished.
Even if people forgot Him one day, He would hold no grudges. Calyrex, after all, was a kind-hearted Pokémon, known to heal others—even enemies—after battle, with no malice in His heart.
'What a noble Pokémon,' Naoki thought wistfully. 'It's a shame He was forgotten for so long... and even His loyal horse companions left Him.'
Naoki sighed quietly, pondering. 'Living in a cold, lonely place like the Crown Tundra. How does a Grass-type Pokémon like Calyrex manage in such harsh conditions?'
...
At noon, the festivities kicked off in full swing.
Mayor Thomas stood on a raised platform near the enormous stew pot, adding various ingredients brought by townsfolk—mushrooms, vegetables, and more. As the pot simmered, a mouthwatering aroma wafted through the square.
Naoki sat at one of the long tables, surrounded by Pokémon and cheerful townspeople. Across from him were several curious children, eagerly eyeing him.
"You're Naoki, right? From the ranch?" one of the children piped up.
Naoki smiled warmly, adjusting his seat. "That's right. I run Naoki Ranch just down the road."
One of the boys, around five or six years old, gazed at Koraidon with wide, curious eyes and asked innocently, "Big brother, what's the name of this Pokémon?"
Naoki smiled warmly. "This is Koraidon. It's a Dragon and Fighting-type Pokémon."
The boy tilted his head thoughtfully. "Dragon and Fighting. Does that mean it's weak against Fairy and Ice-types?"
"That's right," Naoki nodded, then added with a playful grin, "But type matchups aren't everything. Some trainers and their Pokémon can win battles even if they're at a disadvantage."
The boy blinked, trying to grasp the concept, but nodded like he understood.
A little girl nearby, holding a Greedent in her arms, perked up at the conversation and shyly looked Naoki's way.
"Big brother," she asked sweetly, "can I come to your ranch this afternoon to trade some pumpkin cookies? My mom makes really yummy ones! Greedent loves them too!"
Naoki chuckled and nodded. "Of course! I've got plenty of pumpkin cookies waiting at the ranch. You can trade as many as you'd like."
Pumpkin cookie exchanges were a beloved local tradition, similar to the way kids collect candy on Halloween. Hearing Naoki's approval, the children squealed in delight.
One boy caught up in excitement, blurted out, "Yes! We can finally see all the Pokémon at the ranch!"
As soon as he realized what he said, he clamped his hands over his mouth, eyes wide in panic.
Naoki raised an eyebrow, amused.
The boy's mother chuckled and explained with a smile, "It's because Dragonite flies over from your ranch now and then to deliver milk. Daiki here has been dying to visit ever since."
The boy—Daiki—nodded eagerly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Uncle Zack said Mr. Naoki's ranch has so many Pokémon! Can I come and visit? I promise I'll behave!"
Naoki smiled softly. "Of course. As long as everyone behaves, you're welcome anytime."
The children cheered. Naoki watched them, feeling a warm flicker in his heart. In their bright, eager faces, he saw a reflection of Ash's spirit—a childlike wonder and endless love for Pokémon.
'Who knows?' Naoki thought to himself. 'Maybe one of these kids will grow up to be a great trainer, just like Ash.'
Just then, the savory aroma of the stew filled the air, signaling that the food was ready. Volunteers began serving bowls of the hot celebration soup to everyone gathered.
Soon, a bowl was placed in front of Naoki. As he peered into the bowl, the information about the bowl of soup immediately popped into his mind.
[Celebration Soup: No Level]
[A special soup made to celebrate the harvest, brimming with fresh ingredients. While it offers no special effects, it captures the simple joy of the season with every bite.]
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"For every 500 Power Stones, I'll drop an extra chapter! 📚
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PS: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 270+ at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818. Don't forget to drop those power stones for a bonus chapter 💎💎