After bidding farewell to the three young trainers, Naoki returned to his ranch with the basket of freshly picked mushrooms. He set aside some of the mushrooms, planning to cook a hearty dish of chicken stewed with mushrooms for dinner. The rest, he decided, would be dried and stored for use during the snowy winter months.
Later, as he shared the events of his trip with Calyrex, Naoki recounted, "I met another group of trainers who admire you. They came all the way here just to visit the Shrine of Bountiful Harvests."
A soft smile spread across Calyrex's face at the mention of His followers. Thinking back on the past two years, even He was moved by how much had changed.
Life now felt almost like a dream.
Where once He had wandered the Crown Tundra alone, burdened by loneliness and fading memory, now He was celebrated and revered. Humans who believed in Him, pursued His legends, and entrusted Him with their hopes were being born across the land.
"I… I feel very happy," Calyrex said quietly, His voice tinged with emotion.
Naoki smiled. "There will be Harvest Festival in the coming days. I'm curious to see what it'll be like."
Last year's festival had already drawn a considerable crowd, but now that Calyrex's story had spread across the Paldea region, Naoki could only imagine how many people would gather. He suspected the hillside near the shrine would be packed, with tourists jostling for a glimpse of the divine Pokémon.
Calyrex nodded. "I am looking forward to it as well."
With autumn bringing cooler temperatures, the Pokémon had left the comfort of their air-conditioned rooms to play in the pasture. Naoki, after setting aside his mushrooms, stepped outside to pick some onions from the farmland.
But as he reached the field, he noticed a Flying Taxi approaching, its wings flapping steadily as it descended. A familiar squawk announced the arrival of the Squawkabilly-powered transport.
"Huh?" Naoki murmured, puzzled. "Who could be visiting now?"
The taxi landed smoothly on the grass, and a blond man wearing a brown coat stepped out. His demeanor was calm yet meticulous, and his sharp gaze conveyed a sense of authority.
Naoki's eyes widened slightly. Is that Hassel?
Hassel, also known as the Dragon Tamer, was one of the Elite Four of the Paldea region. A skilled trainer specializing in Dragon-type Pokémon, he was also the heir to a renowned dragon-tamer lineage and an art teacher at Paldea Academy.
"Hello, Mr. Naoki," Hassel greeted with a polite nod. "I'm Hassel. Commissioner Geeta asked me to deliver a gift to you."
"A gift?" Naoki echoed, blinking in surprise. For a moment, he wondered if Geeta had somehow managed to collect the 1,000 coins he had requested for his Gimmighoul. But this seemed far too soon.
Politely, Naoki replied, "Hello, Mr. Hassel."
Hassel turned back to the taxi and began unloading seven eggs, each with distinct brown patterns. Placing them gently on the grass, he gestured toward them. Naoki stared, confused.
"…What are these?" he asked.
"These," Hassel explained, "are Eevee eggs. Commissioner Geeta sent them as a gift."
Naoki's mind raced. 'Eevee eggs? How did she know about my dream of building an Eevee sanctuary?'
Then it hit him. He recalled mentioning the idea to Iono and Grusha one afternoon. Word must have reached Geeta, who had acted on it with surprising speed.
'This is too much…' Naoki thought. It was already generous of Geeta to assist with the coins, and now she had sent him seven Eevee eggs. He couldn't help but wonder what her intentions were.
"I've delivered the gift," Hassel said, dusting off his coat. "I have other matters to attend to at the academy, so I won't take up any more of your time."
Just as he was about to leave, Hassel paused, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the ranch.
Dragonairs and Dragonites lounged in the pasture, their sleek forms shimmering under the afternoon sun.
Hassel froze. 'How can this ranch have so many Dragonites?'
He began counting, his shock growing with each number. One, two, three… nine?
As the young master of a dragon-tamer family, Hassel was accustomed to seeing rare Pokémon, but the sheer number of Dragonites on Naoki's ranch had left him utterly speechless. His thoughts spiraled as he boarded the Flying Taxi.
'Who exactly is Naoki?'
Meanwhile, Naoki, still focused on the Eevee eggs, seemed oblivious to Hassel's internal musings. When Hassel mentioned his departure, Naoki politely offered, "Leaving already? Would you like to stay for a cup of tea before heading off?"
Hassel snapped out of his thoughts, but he shook his head. "Thank you, but I must return to the academy. I have pressing matters to attend to."
Naoki nodded understandingly. "Alright. Safe travels, and thank you for delivering these eggs."
Hassel gave a polite nod, boarded the Flying Taxi, and soon disappeared into the sky.
Left alone with the unexpected bounty of Eevee eggs, Naoki scratched his head, staring at the neatly arranged eggs on the grass.
Just then, Indeedee emerged from the Pokémon Tavern, her arms full of cleaning supplies. Spotting the eggs, she let out a startled cry, "Ai eh?!"
Her exclamation echoed across the ranch, attracting the attention of nearby Pokémon. Soon, a curious crowd gathered, including Dragonite, Dragonairs, Umbreon, Glaceon, and others.
Naoki chuckled at their puzzled faces. "These eggs were a gift from the gentleman who just left. They're all Eevee eggs, and we'll be taking care of them."
The Pokémon exchanged a variety of expressions at this revelation.
Alcremie and Pawmot tilted their heads in confusion. 'So many Eevee? Does this mean the ranch is going to be overrun with them?'
The Dragonairs, on the other hand, leaned in with great curiosity. They sniffed the eggs delicately, their large noses twitching, and even pressed their ears to the shells, hoping to hear signs of life inside.
Glaceon, however, looked as though the world had ended. Her wide eyes filled with horror as she silently thought, 'Seven more Eevees? That's seven more rivals for Naoki's affection! This is a disaster!'
Umbreon, calm and composed as always, twitched its ears and stepped forward, inspecting the eggs with quiet interest.
"Alright, let's move these eggs inside where they'll be safe," Naoki announced, snapping the Pokémon out of their thoughts. With everyone's help, the eggs were gently carried upstairs and placed on the soft bedding in an incubator room.
Once the eggs were secure, Naoki stood back, gazing at them in disbelief. While part of him was thrilled at the idea of having so many Eevees, another part of him worried about the challenges that lay ahead.
He imagined the scene already: seven freshly hatched Eevees clambering all over him, demanding milk, cuddles, and constant attention.
"Am I about to become a full-time Eevee nanny?" he muttered to himself, sighing dramatically.
But then an idea struck him. Why not enlist help? His eyes landed on Glaceon and Umbreon, who had followed him upstairs and now stood near the incubator.
Naoki clapped his hands together and turned to them with a grin. "Alright, you two. From now on, you're in charge! Glaceon, you'll be the eldest sister. Umbreon, you're the second sister. Together, we'll take care of these little ones!"
The two Pokémon exchanged wide-eyed glances.
"Bu-yi"?!
Two Eevee: ==(●●|||)