After seeing Professor Olim and Arven off, Naoki returo the , his eyes drawn to the newly installed videopho reminded him of the ses from the anime where Ash would call Professor Oak from Pokémoers.

  Dr. Olim's visit had also solidified his uanding of the timeline he was in. Ten years before the events of "Pokémon Scarlet," Ash probably hadn't embarked on his journey yet, or perhaps he had just begun.

  It was an iing thought. It meant that Mewtwo hadn't beeed yet, Lugia hadn't caused any storms, Groudon and Kyogre were still slumbering, and Team Gactic hadn't yet maniputed Dialga and Palkia.

  Of course, all of this assumed Ash eveed in this world.

  But even if he did, it didn't really affeaoki. He was just a rancher, after all.

  Life went on.

  He hadn't made any profit today, and that couldn't tinue. With a sigh, Naoki picked up the bucket and rode Koraidon towards the upper reaches of the river.

  Wheurhe bucket was full of fish.

  At five o'clo the evening, Zack arrived on schedule for his pickup. The weather had warmed up, and he had shed his thick jacket, wearing only a short-sleeved shirt.

  "Wow, the ranch looks different every day!" Zack remarked, impressed by the progress.

  He looked at the growing crops and said, "The crops should be ready for harvest in a couple of weeks."

  "Yes!" Naoki replied excitedly.

  "You could buy some fertilizer in town before you pnt your batch. The higher the quality of your crops, the more you sell them for!" Zack suggested casually. "So, what have you got for me today?"

  Naoki handed over the bucket of fish.

  Zack ted the catch, jotted down the numbers in his ledger, and pulled out a wad of bills from his wallet with a smile. "That's 2,620 Pokédolrs total. Here you go!"

  Naoki accepted the payment gratefully.

  Zack loaded the fish onto his truck, then climbed into the driver's seat. As he reversed, he waved to Naoki. "See you tomorrow!"

  "See you tomorrow!" Naoki called back.

  As dusk fell, Naoki returo the to prepare dinner. Alcremie hopped down from the cupboard and scampered over to py with Smoliv on the desk.

  Naoki looked at them and thought that the two little ones had been cooped up inside for the past two days. "Don't you get bored staying in the house all the time?" he asked. "Why don't you go outside for a walk?"

  "Alcre..."

  "Smo..."

  Alcremie and Smoliv gnced outside, seemingly hesitant to veo the unfamiliar world beyond the walls.

  Naoki uood. Alcremie and Smoliv had grown up in the open fields of the Happy Ranaturally unafraid of the outdoors. But now, in a new and unfamiliar enviro, only the small wooden house and the familiar trees provided a sense of security. That was why they had stayed indoors for the past two days.

  "This won't do," Naoki thought.

  He decided to take them for a walk around the ranch after dio help them familiarize themselves with their new home.

  For dinner, Naoki prepared a hearty meal: creamy mushroom soup, pork buns, bck pepper-crusted fried pork chops, boiled eggs, and five gsses of milk mixed with different berry juices.

  The Pokémon gathered around the table, enjoying their feast. Smoliv and Alcremie ate daintily, taking small, careful bites. Koraidon and Cyclizar, oher hand, were less refiheir paws and faces smeared with food.

  "Remember to wash your faces and paws at the tap outside after dinner," Naoki remihem sternly. He had ed up the mess they had made the st time.

  "Kora..."

  "Gaa..."

  Koraidon and Cyclizar nodded obediently. They uood.

  After dinner, Koraidon and Cyclizar dutifully went outside to wash up. Naoki, satisfied with their obedieuro the kit to the dishes.

  Alcremie and Smoliv watched the twer Pokémon, then looked at each other, their eyes darting to their own faces and paws.

  "Alcremie!" 'Let's go wash up too'!

  "Smo..." Smoliv looked at Koraidon and Cyclizar with a hint of fear.

  pared to Smoliv, Alcremie was slightly braver. After two days of cohabitation, it had realized the rger Pokémo no harm.

  It hopped off the chair, clutg Smoliv, and cautiously approached the door, peeking out to observe Koraidon and Cyclizar.

  Koraidon had transformed into its Battle Form, standing tall on two legs. In this form, its wild nature was more apparent, and its imposing size and muscur build exuded an intimidating aura.

  It stood proudly, chest puffed out, with a fierce expression on its face. Its rge pauted the faucet, spraying water on the shorter Cyclizar beside it.

  "Alcre... mie..." 'So scary'.

  Alcremie hesitated.

  Smoliv, sensing its friend's hesitation, asked ily, "Smoliv?" 'Didn't you say you weren't afraid of the big guy'?

  "Alcremie!" 'N-no, that's not what I meant'!

  Not wanting to lose fa front of Smoliv, Alcremie took a deep breath and gathered its ce, taking a step forward.

  Koraidon noticed them and turs head, its golden eyes narrowing slightly as it focused oiny Pokémon.

  Alcremie froze, feeling like it was being targeted by the world's most fearsome predator.

  But Koraidon quickly looked away, being them with a gentle, "Kor-ah!"

  "Smoliv?" Smoliv asked, trembling slightly. "Is it calling us"?

  "Alcre... mie..." Alcremie was us fear still lingering.

  Koraidon, seeing their hesitation, softes tone. "Kor-ah..."

  With a pyful nudge, Koraidon herded Alcremie and Smoliv towards the faucet and began spraying them with water.

  After a while, the tension in their bodies eased. They realized that, despite its intimidating appearance, Koraido no harm.

  When Naoki returned from the kit, Alcremie, and Smoliv were o be found ihe house. Puzzled, he heard the sound of spshing water outside. He stepped out to see Koraidon pyfully spraying the two smaller Pokémon with the hose.

  Cyclizar stood nearby, watg with a hint of u seemed to be wary of Alcremie, perhaps due to the type disadvaween Dragon and Fairy. Koraidon, however, appeared pletely unfazed by Alcremie's presence.

  'Perhaps its immense power made it immuo Alcremie's Fairy-type aura'? Naoki wondered.

  As Naoki approached, the Pokémon stopped their water py.

  He went baside arieved a towel, gently drying off Alcremie and Smoliv. "How was that?" he asked.

  "Alcremie!" it chirped, clearly delighted.

  "Smoliv~" Smoliv echoed the se.

  It seemed they had grown fond of Koraidon.

  After drying them off, Naoki took them on a tour of the ranch, introdug them to their new home. Koraidon and Cyclizar trailed behind.

  The sky hadn't pletely darkened yet, and a lingering ray of sunlight bathed the ran a warm, golden glow.

  After a day of grazing in the newly fenced area, the heuro the coop, settling down on the hay to rest.

  The crops in the fields were flourishing. The fast-growing turnips had already sprouted several rge leaves, and the underground bulbs were likely beginning to take shape.

  Naoki strolled through the grass with his Pokémon panions, gesturing towards the fehat enclosed the ranch. "The area within this fence is our ranch," he expio Alcremie and Smoliv. "It's safe here. No one will hurt you."

  Alcremie and Smoliv looked around curiously.

  Naoki smiled. "This grassy area is full of wildflowers, and during the day, butterflies flutter about."

  The grass on the ranch grew lush and wild. With a bit of trimming, it could be turned into a beautiful wn. Naoki had only cut down the excess trees, leaving the grass untouched for now.

  He po process the stones in the shed over the few days and create a stoh eg the and the chi coop.

  "You e explore tomorrow during the day," Naoki enced the two smaller Pokémon. "There will be plenty of butterflies and flowers."

  "Smoliv~"

  "Alcremie!"

  The two Pokémon perked up, their eyes sparkling with anticipation.

  After Naoki's introdu, they had formed a basiderstanding of the ranch: the area within the fence was a safe haven. They were no longer so afraid of the world outside.

  Naoki tihe tour until the st rays of sunlight disappeared, leaving the ranch shrouded in twilight.

  He returo the house with his Pokémon. Alcremie scurried back to its cupboard, while Smoliv settled bato its flowerpot, yawning sleepily.

  "Time for bed," Naoki said with a smile.

  "Smoliv~" Smoliv responded, rolling onto its ba the flowerpot and closing its eyes, soon drifting off to sleep.

  Naoki turo Koraidon and Cyclizar, who were lounging by the bed. He sat down and began to pack his things.

  He po set off for Casseroya Lake the following m. Unsure if he'd be back by lunchtime, Naoki prepared some nutritious sandwiches and berry juice for Cyclizar.

  In addition to finding new fishing spots, he hoped to recruit a Water-type Pokémon capable of using Water Gun to help irrigate the crops. He also packed some extra food, as catg Pokémon was a delicate process.

  From years of watg the anime, he khat aside from battling, food and showing kindness were effective ways to win over a wild Pokémon. After all, Pokémon, like any other creature, appreciated a good meal and a fortable home.

  With this in mind, Naoki prepared several dishes that were both delicious and visually appealing, catering to various tastes—sweet, spicy, sour, and savory. He also made sure they were easy to carry and store.

  As he packed the dishes into his backpack, his eyes fell upon the Poké Balls at the bottom. He suddenly remembered something.

  Professor Olim hadn't given him Koraidon's Poké Ball! No, to be precise, Koraidon had destroyed its Poké Ball.

  Naoki's mind fshed back to Koraidon sshing the ball with its cws. Did the mark left on a Pokémon disappear when its Poké Ball was destroyed?

  As a test, he held a Poké Ball up to Koraidon, but nothing happened.

  "Guess it still won't work," Naoki sighed, putting the ball away.

  He tossed the Poké Ball into his backpack. Just as he was about to zip it up, ahought occurred to him. He pulled out a random Poké Ball and approached Cyclizar.

  "Graaah?" Cyclizar looked at the Poké Ball, uanding that Naoki inteo catch it. A happy expression spread across its face as it eagerly s head towards the ball. As soon as it touched the button, it was enveloped in a red light and sucked into the Poké Ball.

  The ball wobbled twice, then clicked shut.

  "So that's what it's like to catch a Pokémon," Naoki thought, marveling at the process.

  He weighed the Poké Ball in his hand, then mimed a throwing motion, imitating the trainers he had seen in the anime. But he stopped short of actually throwing it, afraid of damaging it against the wall. Instead, he pressed the button, and the Poké Ball opened automatically, releasing Cyclizar in a beam of light.

  "How was that?" Naoki asked.

  "Gaaaaaa!" Cyclizar excimed, clearly thrilled by the experience.

  To Naoki, there were good and bad Poké Balls. The standard red and white ball was the most basic type. There were also Great Balls, Ultra Balls, Luxury Balls, and many others. As teology advanced, so did the quality aures of Poké Balls.

  Luxury Balls were said to provide a more luxurious and fortable living enviro for Pokémoh of Team Rocket had personally attested to this fa the anime.

  'I'll get Cyclizar a Luxury Ball when I have more money', Naoki thought. But for now, it was getting te, and it was time for bed.

  Naoki stretched and crawled into bed, unaware of the curious look Koraidon was giving the Poké Ball.

  "Gaa?"