The rain ca quickly and disappeared just as fast. The grass was damp, and the riverbank was slick with mud. Naoki didn't want to dirty his shoes, so he lost his enthusiasm for fishing for the mont.
Instead, he returned to his room and started preparing the three fish he had caught, deciding to cook each one differently: braising one, steaming another, and frying the third.
Later that afternoon, Naoki took a trip to the town, where he bought an outdoor camping tent from a departnt store.
After purchasing the tent, he gathered his Pokémon to help set it up on a clean patch of lawn. It wasn't too close to the house, but it wasn't far off either-just a nice, quiet spot on the ranch.
Pawmo, curious about the tent-building, tilted its head in confusion.
"Pawmo?"
Naoki chuckled and explained, "We're going to rebuild the house in a few days. When that happens, we won't have anywhere to stay, so we need to prepare ahead of ti."
He went on to describe the joys of camping, trying to paint a vivid picture for his Pokémon. "Imagine a sumr night, a cool breeze blowing through the pasture. We'll be lying in the tent, gazing at the stars above, listening to the gentle sound of the cicadas in the hills. When we get tired, we'll fall asleep peacefully under the sky."
"Pawmo..." Pawmo, along with the other Pokémon, were quickly swept up by Naoki's description, admiration clear in their eyes.
As Naoki admired the newly set-up tent, a thought struck him-it reminded him of the ga Animal Crossing.
In the ga, players could set up a tent on their island, and occasionally small animals would visit to camp. If the player and the animal hit it off, the player could invite the animal to live on the island permanently.
'Could I do sothing like that here?' Naoki wondered. 'Could I invite wild Pokémon to camp at the ranch?'
It seed like a fun idea, but he wasn't sure how practical it would be. After all, wild Pokémon usually stayed within their habitats. It was rare for them to travel or leave their hos, much less camp in an unfamiliar place.
But then, he thought about Teddiursa and w. Their encounters had shown him that wild Pokémon had their own networks and connections-just like people.
'If I spread the word, could I attract so curious Pokémon?' he mused. The world of Pokémon was vast, and there were certainly many Pokémon with unique personalities and hobbies.
'You never know who might show up to camp here,' Naoki thought, smiling to himself.
His imagination ran even further-what if he opened a small tavern for Pokémon? A place where they could relax, drink Moomoo Milk or tree sap, and share their stories.
Naoki could spread the word across the region: a human at Naoki Ranch could help Pokémon solve their problems. Pokémon in need could co by for help, advice, or even just so relaxation.
Perhaps Teddiursa and w, who often traveled, could be his ambassadors. They could spread the news to Pokémon all over the world as they journeyed, telling them about the Pokémon Tavern.
Naoki began to imagine the possibilities: providing counseling, guiding Pokémon through their confusion, or simply listening to their stories. He could even change careers, shifting from rancher to sothing akin to a priest, guiding lost Pokémon on the right path.
The truth was, Naoki was getting a bit bored staying at the ranch with little to do. If he set up a place like this, not only could he learn more about Pokémon, but he might even get a sneak peek into their little gossip circles. And if he t a particularly fluffy Pokémon with a sweet personality, he wouldn't mind petting it a few tis.
The idea excited him he could connect with more Pokémon without having to leave the ranch!
Naoki was so wrapped up in his daydream that he didn't even hear Cyclizar calling him. After a long pause, Naoki finally snapped out of it and realized Cyclizar was trying to get his attention. "What's up, Cyclizar?" he asked, looking over.
Cyclizar's eyes glead with excitent: "Gaao..."
Not just Cyclizar-several nearby Pokémon had the sa eager expression.
Naoki blinked, then looked at the tent he had just set up. Suddenly, it all clicked. The Pokémon had been swept up by the cozy image of camping that Naoki had described, and now they wanted to camp out tonight!
Naoki smiled warmly. "Of course! I'll go grab so blankets, and we'll all camp out here tonight!"
The Pokémon cheered in unison, clearly thrilled by the idea.
True to his word, Naoki hurried to gather blankets and brought out an old-fashioned camping lamp from the utility room, placing it at the entrance of the tent. The soft glow made the scene even cozier.
Just as everything was falling into place, a clear, sharp cry echoed from above.
Naoki paused, his head tilting toward the sky in curiosity. His gaze caught sight of a dark blue-feathered bird Pokémon swooping down into the pasture.
"Is that... a Swellow?"
Just as Naoki was pondering the arrival of the Swellow, he noticed that the bird was clutching sothing in its talon.
He quickly realized what was happening-Teddiursa had sent him another delivery. 'What a coincidence,' Naoki thought, smiling to himself. He had just been thinking about Teddiursa, and now here was a ssage from the little bear Pokémon.
With a warm smile, Naoki thanked the Swellow, who nodded in response. He gently took the items that had been delivered.
It was another crayon drawing, just like the ones Teddiursa had sent before. This ti, the picture showed a basket full of snacks, with two happy, smiling faces beside it. Naoki chuckled softly, instantly understanding the ssage. Teddiursa and w had received the food he had sent them last ti and were clearly pleased.
Relieved to know the package had reached them safely, Naoki glanced at the other item Teddiursa had sent a slightly damaged Great Ball that was no longer usable but still a nice
keepsake.
With its task complete, Swellow flapped its wings, ready to take off again.
"Wait a second!" Naoki called out, quickly running back to his house. He returned with so food and the cara he had recently purchased in town. It was a Polaroid-style cara, perfect for Teddiursa to take pictures with, capturing monts on their adventures.
Naoki handed the items to Swellow, smiling as he explained, "These are for you to take back to Teddiursa and w. The food is a gift, and the cara will be a fun way for them to share more of their adventures with ."
Swellow tilted its head as if processing the request, then nodded, grabbing the cara's strap
in its beak.
As Swellow prepared to leave once more, Naoki called out again, this ti feeling a bit shy. "There's... one more thing."
Swellow paused, turning its head back toward Naoki.
Naoki rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little sheepish as he explained his idea. "Could you also let Teddiursa and w know about my plan to open a 'Pokémon Tavern'? It'll be a place where Pokémon can co for help-whether they need treatnt, a good chat, or even just a place to rest and heal their hearts."
Naoki added a final ssage before Swellow left: "And if you or any Pokémon face a problem that you can't solve, feel free to co here to play or camp. You're always welco." Swellow seed montarily surprised by Naoki's words. It stared at him for a few seconds, then gave a small nod of understanding before taking off and flying away from the pasture. Watching Swellow disappear into the sky, Naoki sighed with relief. "Finally, the cara's delivered!" he muttered with a smile.
...
Three days later, deep in the forests of the Kanto region.
Ever since they had started receiving food from Naoki, Teddiursa, and w would linger longer at each new place they explored, hoping to not miss any future deliveries from their
human friend.
When they spotted Swellow returning with sothing in its beak, both w and Teddiursa lit up with excitent, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Teddi!" (It's here!)
"w!" (Food's here!)
Swellow gracefully landed in front of the duo, and their eyes imdiately darted to the basket
of treats. In typical fashion, w and Teddiursa shared the al generously with Swellow, all three enjoying the delicious snacks together.
After the feast, Swellow presented the cara Naoki had sent and passed along his ssage. Teddiursa, who had been fiddling with the cara, paused, hanging it around his neck. He
looked up in disbelief at Swellow: "Teddi?" (A Pokémon tavern?) w, equally surprised, tilted its head, blinking curiously at Swellow.
Under their puzzled gazes, Swellow nodded to confirm what Naoki had said.
The duo exchanged glances, their eyes shining with happiness and gratitude. Naoki's ssage
ca at just the right ti.
Only a few days earlier, they had encountered a Ninetales deep in the forest-a majestic Pokémon that had lived for an untold number of years. w had sensed that Ninetales' life energy was slowly fading, and it had seed weary as if it were approaching the end of its
long life.
Teddiursa and w had wanted to help, but they didn't know how. In the end, they could only watch in sadness as Ninetales slipped into a deep sleep in the mountains, perhaps forever. But now, hearing Naoki's idea about the Pokémon Tavern, a glimr of hope sparkled in their hearts. If Naoki had been there at the ti, maybe he could have helped Ninetales. Whether by offering guidance or so form of healing, Naoki always seed capable of helping in one
way or another.
Naoki was, after all, a kind and smart human-soone who could cook magical food and always find solutions. Teddiursa held the cara tightly, feeling touched. "Teddi?" (Do you think Naoki knew we needed help?)
w nodded, "w!" (He must have! Naoki's amazing like that.)
The little bear smiled, its heart warm with affection. "Teddi!" ("In that case, Naoki will
definitely be a part of our Hero Exploration Team from now on!"!)
...
Stones
Reviews
All reviews (0)