"Chief, you know," Naoki began thoughtfully, "what you said reminds me of a dragon that can grant wishes."
Geeta raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. "A wish-granting dragon? Is it also a Pokémon?"
"Maybe," Naoki replied with a playful grin. "It's just a legend."
Geeta nodded slightly, her curiosity piqued but choosing not to pursue the topic further. Instead, she moved on. "So, tell me, is there any reward you'd like?"
Naoki paused, contemplating her question. After a moment, he shook his head with a wry smile. "Honestly, I don't really need anything. The ranch has everything I could ask for, thanks to my Pokémon."
Hearing this, Geeta leaned back slightly, her expression thoughtful. "How about this: the Paldea League could help you build a professional gym on the ranch. I've heard trainers often come by to challenge you, and your ranch is becoming quite well-known among students at Naranja Academy."
"If you had an official gym, it would make these battles more structured—like the ones Iono and Grusha oversee."
Naoki sighed inwardly, as though he'd anticipated this suggestion. Formalizing his ranch as a gym would mean he'd have to stick to strict rules, regularly interact with the Paldea League, and lose the freedom he currently enjoyed.
Shaking his head, Naoki politely declined. "Thanks for the offer, but I like things the way they are."
Geeta seemed a little disappointed but respected his decision. "Fair enough," she said, though a trace of regret lingered in her tone. She then brightened slightly. "If not that, then we'll arrange something else for you. The League has protocols for recognizing contributions, and we'll provide a reward accordingly."
Naoki rubbed the back of his neck, sensing he couldn't talk his way out of this.
Geeta chuckled at his resigned face. "Consider it a gesture of appreciation. You've been a tremendous help to us by supporting trainers like Iono and Grusha." She added, "By the way, you should expect more gym leaders to visit the ranch for trials in the future."
Naoki nodded in understanding. It made sense that Geeta wanted to see gym leaders grow stronger through these experiences. After all, a stronger league benefits everyone. But now that the conversation was steering toward rewards, an idea crossed his mind.
"If it's alright," Naoki began hesitantly, "could the League provide me with at least a thousand Gimmighoul gold coins?"
Geeta blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Gimmighoul gold coins?"
Naoki explained, "I recently captured a Gimmighoul, and I want to see how many gold coins it takes to evolve it into Gholdengo."
Geeta's eyes lit up in understanding. As Champion of the Paldea League, she was familiar with Gimmighoul and its unique evolution method. "I see," she said with a nod. "We'll do our best to gather the coins for you, though I can't guarantee we'll collect that many."
"That's fine," Naoki replied with a smile. "I'm already collecting coins here as well, so every little bit helps."
Geeta gave him a satisfied nod, clearly impressed by his modesty. "Alright. We'll start the collection effort immediately." She added with a playful grin, "And if you ever change your mind about the gym certification, let me know."
Before Naoki could respond, Geeta's communicator beeped with an incoming notification. "Looks like I have another issue to deal with," she said, her tone shifting to one of businesslike efficiency. "Thanks again, Naoki. We'll be in touch soon."
With that, the call ended, leaving Naoki staring at the blank screen. He chuckled softly to himself. "Guess I'll have to find a way to thank the League in return."
...
Later that day, Geeta contacted Larry, a League staff member currently stationed in Medali. Larry was enjoying his lunch at the Treasure Eatery when his communicator buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he sighed wearily and put down his chopsticks.
"Work calls," he muttered, grabbing his briefcase and stepping outside to answer.
"Hello?" he greeted, his tone professional but tinged with fatigue.
Geeta's voice came through the line. "Larry, I need your help with something. The League is gathering Gimmighoul gold coins for Naoki at Kosaji Ranch. Can you assist with the collection?"
Larry's tired expression softened slightly at the mention of Naoki. "Understood. I'll begin the collection immediately."
Satisfied, Geeta continued, "Once the task is complete, the League will grant you a week-long vacation. You could even visit Naoki's ranch and experience the countryside."
A week-long vacation. The thought alone was enough to brighten Larry's spirits. For someone as overworked as him, the promise of rest was a reward beyond gold.
With this thought in mind, Larry's voice steadied, though a hint of determination seeped into his tone. "Understood. I'll get started right away."
Geeta replied with a satisfied nod, her voice carrying authority. "Good. I'll leave it in your capable hands."
After hanging up, Geeta leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples to ease the tension that had built up throughout the day. As the leader of the Paldea League, her responsibilities seemed endless.
A moment later, she made another call—this time to the Glaseado Mountain Gym.
The phone rang briefly before Grusha's voice answered on the other end.
"Chief?" Grusha asked, his tone calm as usual.
Geeta wasted no time. "Grusha, when you visited Naoki's ranch, did you notice anything in particular that he seemed fond of?"
She had realized that the gold coins Naoki requested weren't so much a reward he desired but rather something he needed to evolve his Gimmighoul. Beyond fulfilling that request, Geeta wanted to offer Naoki a personal gift. Not only as a token of gratitude but also as a means to foster goodwill.
Naoki was a rare talent, and Geeta couldn't risk him being lured away by other Pokémon Leagues. She was well aware of his connections to Leon, the Champion of the Galar region, and Alder, the former Champion of Unova. If either of them decided to woo Naoki to their regions, it could leave Paldea at a significant disadvantage.
On the other end of the call, Grusha paused, thinking carefully. Then, his tone brightened slightly as he answered, "What Naoki likes… well, does Pokémon count?"
Geeta wasn't surprised by the response. "Pokémon?" she echoed, her curiosity piqued.
"Yeah," Grusha confirmed. "Specifically, Eevee. Naoki seems to have a particular fondness for them. When I visited the ranch with Iono, we noticed two Eeveelutions there."
He paused, a hint of amusement in his voice as he continued. "Naoki told us his dream was to collect all of Eevee's evolutions and create an Eevee paradise on the ranch."
"Eevee…" Geeta repeated, a smile tugging at her lips. She could practically envision Naoki surrounded by a herd of adorable Eevee and their evolutions. It seemed fitting for someone as nurturing and kind-hearted as him. "I see. Thank you for sharing that, Grusha."
Grusha's voice softened. "You're welcome, Chief."
After ending the call, Geeta stood with newfound resolve. Her destination was clear—the Pokémon Breeding Center operated by the Paldea League.
This facility was designed for the care and breeding of Pokémon, providing them with a safe, playful environment. Pokémon of all kinds lived there, freely interacting and sometimes even producing eggs.
After Pokémon hatch from their eggs, they are given special training before being sent to children aged ten and older in various regions to be cared for and raised.
This system ensures a continuous influx of trainers in the Paldea League, fostering the next generation of Pokémon enthusiasts.
At the Pokémon Breeding Center, there happened to be Eevee eggs among the collection of eggs being nurtured.
When Geeta arrived at the center via Flying Taxi, she learned from the Pokémon caretaker that the Eevee egg had not yet hatched.
As Geeta stood there, gazing thoughtfully at the Eevee egg, the caretaker spoke up cautiously, sensing the Chief's intense focus. "It'll be more than half a month before these eggs are ready to hatch. If it's not urgent, you could wait a little longer."
Geeta nodded absentmindedly, her thoughts already drifting elsewhere. She recalled a well-known fact: Pokémon that hatch from eggs form a strong bond with the first human they see.
That realization solidified her decision.
"Leave these eggs to me," Geeta said with authority. "I'll ensure they are given to trainers who can take excellent care of them."
"Yes, of course!" the caretaker replied, quickly nodding. He began carefully placing the eggs into a specially designed protective bag to ensure their safety during transport.
Soon, the eggs were securely loaded onto the Flying Taxi.
Initially, Geeta considered calling either Larry or Rika to help deliver the eggs. However, just as she reached for her communicator, she remembered that both were already occupied with other tasks she had assigned.
Her brow furrowed slightly before an alternative idea came to mind. Without hesitation, she contacted another trusted individual.
The call connected after a brief moment.
Geeta's tone softened, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Hello, Hassel. Do you have some time? Could you come to the League Headquarters? I have an important favor to ask of you."
.....
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