"Mr. Naoki."
Arven clutched the straps of his backpack tightly, glancing at Naoki with a hint of apprehension.
Naoki offered him a reassuring smile. "Welcome, Arven. Don't worry—Professor Sada already told me you'd be staying here for the next few days!"
Hearing this, Arven visibly relaxed.
Having grown up alone, he'd become quite self-reliant. As for visiting someone else's ranch, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious about being a burden to Mr. Naoki.
Arven walked over with his backpack, his quiet demeanor catching the attention of Nemona and her butler nearby.
"Professor Sada…" Nemona picked up on the name quickly.
As a budding Trainer, everyone in Paldea knew about Professor Sada, the pioneering Pokémon Professor who developed the technology of Terastallization, allowing Pokémon to transform during battles.
"Wait, are you Professor Sada's son?" Nemona asked in surprise.
Arven looked over at the younger girl, nodding quietly.
"Whoa!"
Nemona's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Professor Sada and Professor Turo are Paldea's top researchers! By the way, do you know how to battle? Do you want to have a Pokémon battle with me?"
Arven: "…"
Naoki, sensing Arven's hesitation, spoke up. "Nemona, Arven just arrived. He must be tired from the trip and probably needs some rest."
As he said this, a curious thought crossed Naoki's mind. It felt a bit like he was looking after a friend's child.
"Alright," Nemona said with a hint of disappointment.
The butler standing beside her gave a resigned smile. "Miss Nemona, perhaps you could take a rest yourself?"
Nemona shook her head energetically. "I'm not tired! Mr. Rancher, where are the Dragonites? Can I see them?"
"Of course," Naoki replied, smiling. "They're just over there, basking in the sun under the trees."
He led the group through the fields until they arrived at an open meadow.
There, many Pokémon had gathered.
In addition to four Dragonites and several Dragonairs, Glaceon and Cyclizar were playfully running across the grass.
Further ahead, Koraidon lay on the grass, lazily enjoying the peaceful afternoon.
Beyond them, in a pasture enclosed by a wooden fence, three Gogoats were grazing.
Just on the other side of the fence, two elegant horses, one midnight black and the other snowy white, galloped gracefully. On one of them was a small yet mysterious Pokémon with a grand-looking headpiece.
The sight took Nemona's breath away.
"Dragonair, Dragonite, Cyclizar, Glaceon, Gogoat… and so many others I've never seen before!"
She could hardly contain her excitement.
"Is… is this heaven?"
With that, Nemona dashed toward the Pokémon, her heart brimming with joy at the sight of so many rare and wonderful Pokemon.
The old butler attempted to call her back, "Miss Nemona!"
But it was no use.
With a sigh, the white-haired man gave a resigned smile. "Miss Nemona is always so full of energy."
Naoki watched with an amused grin. "I noticed."
Turning to Arven beside him, Naoki added, "The ranch has changed a lot lately, and we've had many new Pokémon join us. Would you like to take a look around?"
Arven was interested, though he wasn't as quick to rush off as Nemona. Instead, he gave a polite bow. "Thank you very much, Mr. Naoki."
"Let's go, then!"
Naoki and Arven caught up with Nemona, who was now standing wide-eyed in front of Koraidon, marveling at the large, powerful Pokémon.
Koraidon, who had been resting with its eyes closed, sensed the presence nearby and opened one eye. Recognizing Nemona, it closed its eyes again, dismissively.
'Who was it? Ah, it was 'that' human again.'
Koraidon remembered her well. Her name was Nemona, and over the years, she'd often visited the ranch, her love for Pokémon battles drawing her back time and again.
Whether it was challenging the Gogoats in their grass trials or Pawmot in his lightning trials, or even attempting to face him, Koraidon recalled every visit.
"Mr. Naoki, what kind of Pokémon is this?" Nemona asked, her voice full of awe.
"This?" Naoki replied with a warm smile. "This is Koraidon."
"Ko-rai-don?" Nemona echoed.
Naoki nodded. "It's the name Professor Sada gave him. Koraidon was discovered by Professor Sada herself."
"So cool!" Nemona said excitedly. "I bet it's incredibly strong!"
Naoki chuckled. "Yes, Koraidon is a powerful Pokémon. It's been guarding this ranch and helping us grow and thrive. Thanks to Koraidon, we've been able to develop the ranch into what it is today."
"A Pokémon this strong… I can't wait to battle it one day!" Nemona's eyes sparkled with determination, though she knew she wasn't a trainer yet.
But a thought rooted itself in her mind—when she finally became a trainer, she'd come back here to challenge both Koraidon and Pawmot!
After admiring Koraidon, Nemona dashed over to the Dragonites.
Naoki, alongside Arven, followed her and addressed the two of them, gesturing to the Dragonites, "These Dragonites work as delivery Pokémon here. Every morning, they arrive to help me deliver goods to customers who've placed orders."
"Awoo~" the Dragonites chorused cheerfully, waving to Naoki.
"So cute!" Nemona's eyes sparkled as she watched the Dragonites, completely captivated by their adorable expressions.
Meanwhile, the old butler beside her looked at Naoki with growing amazement. 'Dragonite is such a rare Pokémon,' he thought, 'yet this young man not only raises several of them but even uses them to deliver goods!'
'How extravagant!' To handle such a rare Pokémon with such ease… surely, this boy was no ordinary person.
At that moment, Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, passed by on his spectral horse, Spectrier. As he neared, he slowed his pace and gave Naoki a respectful nod from a distance.
Another Pokémon she'd never seen! Nemona's eyes widened with excitement, feeling almost overwhelmed. "Mr. Rancher, what kind of Pokémon is that?"
Naoki introduced them with a smile. "That's Calyrex, The King of Bountiful Harvest. The Pokémon he's riding is Spectrier, his loyal steed."
The word "king" didn't immediately register with Nemona, but the old butler beside her caught it. 'King?' He was taken aback, glancing at the regal-looking Pokémon with a hint of awe. "Did you say... king?"
Naoki nodded. "Yes, that's exactly right. His name is Calyrex, and he's known as the King of Bountiful Harvests, a legendary Pokémon."
"The King of Bountiful Harvests?" Nemona and Arven looked at Naoki, curiosity filling their faces.
Naoki nodded gently, then began to share the tale. "A long, long time ago, the King of Bountiful Harvests rode his beloved steed across the lands. His power was so great that when he raised his left hand, crops would ripen, and when he raised his right hand, flowers would bloom."
"In ancient times, he used this power to bring prosperity and joy to the people, enriching the entire region."
"That's amazing!" Nemona exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder.
Arven, catching the weight of the story, seemed almost in disbelief. "A... a legendary Pokémon?"
The old butler's eyes widened as he took it all in. "A legendary Pokémon… so they're not just myths," he murmured.
The notion of legendary Pokémon was something they'd all heard of—creatures of immense power, rarely seen by human eyes and believed only to exist in ancient lore. Arven thought of the legends he'd read about in Paldea, such as the mysterious, sealed disaster Pokémon from the era of the old kingdom. But those tales felt distant, almost intangible.
"Mr. Naoki," Arven began, still trying to process, "I don't think I've ever heard of this particular legend in Paldea."
Naoki smiled softly. "That's because everything I just shared comes from the ancient legends of the Galar region. Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests, is a Pokémon I encountered there."
"The Galar region? That makes sense!" Arven's eyes lit up with understanding, marveling at the connection.
The old butler accompanying Nemona looked equally astonished. His suspicions were confirmed—this young rancher was indeed no ordinary person. 'To think that such a powerful trainer would choose to live quietly in a place like this.'
He had a feeling that soon, the name of Naoki and his ranch would spread throughout the Paldea region.
As the clock struck five in the evening, the old butler and a very satisfied Nemona prepared to depart. Nemona gazed out of the window with a smile. Though she hadn't had the chance to battle Dragonite, she had seen so many incredible Pokémon.
But she wasn't one to give up.
Watching the ranch grow smaller in the rearview mirror, Nemona set her mind—'One day, I'll come back here to challenge Dragonite, Pawmot, and that incredible Pokémon, Koraidon!'
The old butler, noticing the determination in her eyes, offered his encouragement. "Miss Nemona, one day, you'll make a remarkable trainer."
"Yes! I'll give it my all!"
...
Back at the ranch, Naoki stood at the doorway, watching the car carrying Nemona and the old butler fade into the distance.
"I didn't expect Nemona to visit the ranch so suddenly," he mused, chuckling softly.
"This time, she met Koraidon and Arven. If things play out as they're supposed to, I wonder what adventures lie ahead."
The thought amused him, and he found himself looking forward to the future.
"Alright," he said, stretching, "it's time to turn in for the night." Naoki led Arven back inside as the evening grew darker, with each Pokémon heading to their cozy quarters for rest.
Arven, now standing in the living room, looked around at the room full of Pokémon. Despite his initial excitement, he suddenly seemed a bit reserved.
Seeing this, Naoki gave a reassuring smile. "Don't be so nervous. Dr. Sada and I are friends. You can treat this place as your home."
"Thank you," Arven murmured quietly, expressing his gratitude.
Naoki smiled warmly. "The Indeedees have set up a room for you on the second floor. I hope you'll find it comfortable."
With that, he called over elder Indeedee and asked him to show Arven to his room.
The elder Indeedee responded with a calm nod, "Ai-ye."
Naoki added, "Go ahead; I'll get started on dinner!"
The room had a gentle warmth, with a cozy fireplace crackling softly, filling the space with warmth and comfort. Feeling this welcoming atmosphere and Naoki's kindness, Arven's eyes suddenly grew misty, and he had to blink back a few tears.
Lowering his head quickly, he managed to hold back his emotions, muttering a quiet apology to Naoki for the trouble before following Indeedee upstairs.
Naoki watched him go with a small chuckle, shaking his head. He then switched on the TV to catch the evening news as he began preparing dinner for the Pokémon.
Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, the Pokémon had gathered around the fireplace, lounging on soft carpets and the couch, warming themselves, some even stretching out comfortably to expose their fluffy bellies.
The voice of the weather anchor echoed from the TV:
"Snow is expected across Paldea in the early hours of tomorrow. We advise all citizens to prepare for the incoming cold front."
'Snow?' Naoki was pleasantly surprised, and after a moment's thought, he realized it was indeed the season.
Snowfall would be perfect! He could already imagine taking his Pokémon out to build snowmen and have a fun snowball fight on the ranch grounds.
Humming a cheerful tune, Naoki felt a rush of excitement and began eagerly looking forward to the coming snowfall.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, there was an island surrounded by a vast blue ocean.
Mew and Teddiursa stood holding a bunch of green onions, waving goodbye to a Farfetch they had just helped.
Not long ago, they had arrived on this island and met Farfetch'd in the forest, who seemed to be in distress.
Farfetch'd explained that a wild Pokémon with a taste for plants had recently shown up in the forest, eating the roots and onions that grew there. With its usual source of weaponry gone, Farfetch'd felt defenseless and turned to the Great Expedition Team for help.
Mew and Teddiursa took on the mission. When they reached the forest's edge, they discovered that the intruder was actually a small, hungry Deerling.
The poor Deerling had migrated from a distant forest that had been cleared by humans, leaving it with no food. It had come here out of desperation.
To resolve the situation peacefully, Mew and Teddiursa shared some of their treasured fruit stash with Deerling, helping it fill its empty stomach.
Grateful for the kindness, Deerling promised not to eat any more of Farfetch'd's precious onions.
With the matter settled, Farfetch'd gifted Mew and Teddiursa a fresh bundle of onions in thanks.
As Farfetch'd disappeared into the forest, Teddiursa looked down at the bundle in his paws and said, "Ursa…" (They taste a bit strange…)
Mew tilted its head and chirped, "Mew?" (Should we eat them?)
Teddiursa sighed, "Ursa…" (Not very tasty…)
Remembering how Farfetch'd used these onions as weapons, Teddiursa thought they might be useful for other Pokémon.
An idea suddenly popped into his mind.
He decided to send the onion roots back to Naoki at the ranch to see if any of the Pokémon there could make use of them.
Thinking of Naoki…
The tall figure of his beloved caretaker came to mind, and Teddiursa's heart grew heavy with a twinge of homesickness.
He missed Naoki, missed the ranch, and missed the delicious treats Naoki always made for him.
Noticing Teddiursa's expression, Mew tilted its head, "Mew?" (What's wrong?)
Teddiursa answered honestly, "Ursa…" (I miss Naoki…)
Mew, who had never felt homesick before, pondered this unfamiliar feeling. After a moment, it chirped cheerfully, "Mew!" (Then let's go back to the ranch!)