[During my absence, so much has changed in this world. The regions have continued to evolve, cultures have shifted, and yet one thing remains constant: Pokémon battles still stand at the heart of everything.
Geeta, the Paldea League, Naoki Ranch, Professors Sada and Turo, the ti machine…
All of it feels like a lifeti ago. Now, with so many years passed, everyone connected to those days is gone. Whenever I recall these mories, a wave of sadness always follows.
But at least I still have my wife and Koraidon by my side. That gives comfort.
After returning, I tried to understand how this world had changed. Under the joint leadership of Elara and Sorin, the Paldea League has beco the strongest alliance in the world. Every year, trainers and tourists from across the globe co here to test themselves and to marvel at its strength. If Geeta could see this now, she would surely be proud.
Elara… my daughter. I never expected you would seal the entrance to the World Tree. But I think I understand, you wanted to protect the Pokémon living there from being disturbed.
Still, Elara, that was sothing I had hoped to leave behind for you and your brother. Every year, new Dratini hatch on Dragonite Island. When your children turn ten, they should be able to go there, train, and perhaps even et a Dratini of their own.
Even so, your mother and I have seen your hard work. The Treehouse is thriving, your children and grandchildren are shining all across Paldea. Even without the World Tree, your family has grown into sothing remarkable. I'm so proud of you.
But Elara… your mother and I miss you so much. When you were young, we poured every ounce of love we had into you.
Do you know that? When I learned that you and Sorin had chosen to live your own lives apart from us, it broke my heart. I had always hoped that when the four of us grew old, we'd all live together again at the World Tree.
But… I also know you had your own responsibilities and your own journeys to complete. Your mother and I respect that, and we support the choice you made.
Lately, I've been having many dreams. Dreams of you as children, taking your first steps across the ranch, clutching my hand…
But enough of that. That's all for today. I'll head off now to help train so of the Pokémon for the Expedition Guild. Haha… honestly, I'm nowhere near as good as you when it cos to commanding Pokémon in battle or devising strategies. If only you were here.]
Naoki paused in his room, setting down his pen after writing these words in his diary.
Months had passed since he had returned to the World Tree, to his wife and his Pokémon.
In that ti, everyone had shared their mories, their longings, their stories of the ones they missed. The Pokémon spoke often of their children and descendants, and Naoki listened to them all.
But his own heartache, the ache of a parent, was harder to share. The death of a loved one is the saddest thing in this world. Though the spirits of their parents still linger, his children were gone. And that was a sorrow Naoki could not shake.
He let out a heavy sigh, rose slowly, and stepped outside.
There, Iono was tending to a small group of Terapagos who had survived since ancient tis.
Nearby, Koraidon dozed peacefully in the shade of a great tree. The golden sunlight stread across the grass, over the Terapagos, and over all the Pokémon resting quietly.
The scene was tranquil, almost tiless.
"Out for so air?" Iono asked gently.
"Yeah," Naoki nodded, though his eyes looked distant.
Iono studied him closely, then smirked knowingly. "You've been preoccupied lately. Is it because of Elara?"
Naoki winced. "…Ah."
He sighed, helpless to deny it.
He still hadn't gotten the chance to see Elara or Sorin one last ti, to say goodbye properly. The thought weighed heavily on his heart.
"Bago?"
The Terapagos could sense Naoki's sorrow. They clustered around him, their crystal shells glimring as they chirped, "Bago, bago?"
Naoki blinked in surprise. Did they an… they could help him see Elara again?
His heart leapt. "Really? Could I… truly see her once more?"
"Bagogo!" The Terapagos nodded firmly, their voices ringing with certainty.
Suddenly, their crystalline bodies shone with dazzling light.
Iono, standing just beyond the radiance, gave Naoki a gentle smile. "Go on. Maybe Elara is waiting for you too."
Naoki's breath caught, but before he could reply, the world around him began to shift and blur.
When he opened his eyes again, ti had carried him to the autumn of the 287th year of the League Calendar.
Before him was a scene that froze his heart. Elara, his daughter, her hair now pure white, leaned on a cane as she stood before a familiar gravestone. Beside her were Volcarona and Dragonite, their expressions somber and loyal.
Elara's face was etched with deep wrinkles, her movents slowed by age. Still, she knelt gracefully in the grass, brushing the dust from her father's stone and placing a fresh bouquet of flowers there.
Her voice was soft and trembling as she spoke to the grave.
"So much has happened this year. My grandson has grown strong, he's beco a formidable Trainer.
Dad, Sorin wanted to co with , but he's grown too frail. I ca alone this ti.
Before I realized it, I've reached the sa age you were… maybe this will be the last ti I can visit you."
Hearing those words, Naoki's chest tightened until the tears poured freely down his face.
He stood silently, weeping as he gazed at his daughter.
"Do you want to go to her?" whispered a voice in his ear.
Naoki faltered. Part of him longed to step forward, to embrace her one last ti. But another part hesitated. Children and grandchildren had their own blessings to carry; suddenly appearing might only startle her. Perhaps it was enough… just to watch her in this mont.
So he remained there, listening as Elara spoke of her days, her family, her journey. He drank in the sound of her voice, engraving every word into his soul.
The sun dipped lower, painting the sky in crimson hues. At last, Elara pushed herself to her feet.
A single golden leaf drifted down from a tree above, landing softly on her silver hair.
Naoki, unable to resist, reached out. Though his touch was faint as a breeze, he gently brushed the leaf away.
He lingered, sighing deeply, then turned to leave.
But in that instant, Elara suddenly froze. She spun around, her old yet sharp eyes glistening with tears.
"Dad… is that you?"
Naoki stopped dead in his tracks, his heart lurching.
Tears stread down Elara's cheeks as her voice broke. "Dad… I've missed you so much…"
And with those words, Naoki could no longer hold back.
Naoki drew upon the energy of the Terapagos within his body, and slowly, his form shimred into view before Elara.
After so many years, father and daughter finally t again.
"Dad…" Elara's voice trembled as tears stread down her face.
"Elara, don't cry. Daddy's here now." In that mont, Naoki forgot all about the paradox of ti and space, and the risks of crossing them. He wasn't a figure bound by legends or rules anymore, he was just a father. He stepped forward and wrapped his daughter tightly in his arms.
"Waaah…" Elara sobbed softly, overco with emotion. She had never dared to hope she would see him again.
"It's alright, Elara," Naoki whispered, his hand gently stroking her hair. "You've done so well. You and Sorin… you'll always be Daddy's pride."
Father and daughter clung to one another, crying openly. Through the tears, Naoki quietly explained everything, his disappearance, his journey through ti, and the truth of why he hadn't been able to stay by her side. He apologized again and again, his heart heavy with guilt.
As the night deepened and the stars filled the sky, Naoki felt the call of the Terapagos pulling at him, summoning him back across ti and space. Reluctantly, he rose to his feet.
"Elara," he said softly, "Daddy has to go."
Elara quickly pushed herself upright, clutching her cane for balance. "Then… then will I ever see you again?"
Naoki smiled gently, nodding. "Of course you will."
Hearing that, Elara's expression eased, and she gave him a small, tearful smile.
In the year 288 of the League Calendar, Elara passed away peacefully in her sleep.
When she opened her eyes again, now in the form of a soul, she saw him, her father, waiting quietly by her bedside.
"Dad," she whispered, her voice trembling, "are you here to take with you?"
Naoki nodded with a warm smile. "Co on. Let's go."
Elara looked back at her resting body for one last ti, then turned and walked toward her father.
Hand in hand, the two walked side by side toward the glowing entrance of the Spirit World.
But when they reached it, Naoki stopped. He didn't step inside.
Elara paused, confused. "Dad?"
"Go on, Elara," Naoki said softly. "Your mother is waiting for you. No matter what you decide… I'll always support you."
Elara blinked, then looked between the Spirit World's entrance and her father. As if understanding sothing beyond words, she nodded. "I understand, Dad."
She stepped forward, disappearing into the light.
Naoki watched her go, closing his eyes for a long mont before opening them again with a deep sigh. His heart was finally unburdened. It wasn't a perfect farewell, but it was her choice. And as her father, Naoki could only respect it.
Naoki returned to the World Tree. The days flowed by, quiet and peaceful.
He often wandered back to his old ranch, standing among the ruins and letting mories wash over him.
Once upon a ti, he had dread that his children might inherit the ranch, carrying on the life's work he had built together with his Pokémon.
But now… the ranch stood empty, abandoned to the passage of ti.
Every sight of the desolate ranch brought Naoki fresh heartbreak.
Until, one day, a young man appeared, accompanied by a fiery-eyed Charleon.
The boy glanced down at a folded letter in his hand and muttered to himself,
"Huh? So this is the ranch left behind by my great-great-grandfather?"
His gaze swept over the overgrown fields, the crumbling fences, the dust-coated barn.
"What a sha… it's so desolate now. Nothing like the old photos showed it to be."
But his expression quickly fird into determination.
"But that's okay! Charleon, we can bring this place back to life again!"
"Char!" Charleon's eyes glead with burning spirit, its tail fla flaring brighter in agreent.
Naoki, watching silently in his ghostly form, narrowed his eyes.
'Oh? Could this boy be… my descendant?'
He floated closer, curious.
The boy set to work imdiately. Naoki watched him sweep out the dust, patch up the house, and spread bedding with surprising skill. Charleon scurried at his side, dragging old planks into piles, hauling buckets of water, and puffing little embers to burn away the weeds.
Once the house was livable, the boy pulled sothing from his pack, a photo fra. He hung it carefully on the wall.
Naoki floated closer, his gaze sharpening.
It was a picture of himself, taken in his youth.
Naoki: "…"
The boy bowed solemnly before the photo, his face full of respect.
"Grandpa… I am your descendant. My na is Satoru. Please bless with luck here at the ranch!"
Naoki blinked. Satoruu…
Elara family line had truly spread far and wide. Generations of trainers, champions, gym leaders, and now, this boy had co to inherit the ranch.
Intrigued, Naoki drifted closer. He reached out and placed a ghostly hand on Satoru's shoulder.
The boy stiffened, then slowly turned. His eyes widened, and the next instant his gaze darted between the photo on the wall and the spectral figure hovering behind him.
"..."
Satoru's jaw dropped, his face went pale, and then...
"AHHHHHH!" He shrieked, scooping up Charleon in his arms. "Mom! My great-great-grandfather's ghost is here!!!"
Naoki: "…"
Sighing, he flicked his will. The air shimred, and the doorway blurred, vanishing in an instant.
Satoru skidded to a stop, nearly dropping Charleon. "W-what the?!" His whole body trembled.
"Mom, help! A ghost!" he wailed, then quickly backpedaled, stamring, "Great-great-grandfather, please don't hurt ! I really am your descendant!"
Naoki pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoveI[F]ire
Finally, he said, his voice calm and firm, "I don't intend to hurt you."
Satoru froze. "…Huh?"
"Your na is Satoru right?" Naoki asked, studying the boy.
"Y-yes… yes!" Satoru stamred, clutching Charleon like a lifeline.
Naoki tilted his head. "Then tell , why did you co to this ranch?"
Seeing that his great-great-grandfather's ghost ant him no harm, or perhaps because of the bond flowing through their shared bloodline, Satoru's fear gradually faded.
He steadied himself and hurriedly explained why he had co.
"Since there are so many talented trainers in my family, and I'm not very good at battles, I've just been stuck at ho listening to Mom nag all day. Then I read about the legendary ranch… about the Milk of Life… and I thought, instead of chasing glory, I want to live like my great-great-grandfather did! I want to raise Pokémon, run a ranch, and farm alongside them!"
His words ca out in a rush, a little clumsy, but Naoki understood him perfectly.
Monts ago, he had been mourning the ranch's abandonnt. Now, hearing this descendant speak with such sincerity, relief and joy surged in his chest.
"Good boy," Naoki said softly.
Satoru, still trembling with curiosity, asked, "But… are you really my great-great-grandfather? Didn't you… already die?"
Naoki chuckled. "Souls exist in this world, Satoru. So ties never fade." Then he leaned closer, his eyes kind but sharp. "Do you really want to run this ranch?"
"Yes!" Satoru nodded firmly. Then, with wide eyes, he blurted, "But, Great-great-grandfather… is the Milk of Life real?"
Naoki's lips curved into a knowing smile. "Do you want to find out?"
"Of course I do!"
"Then let's bring this ranch back to life together."
In that instant, Naoki's heart was set. He would test this boy, just as he once tested himself. If Satoru succeeded, he would inherit not just the land, but the legacy, the recipes, the Pokémon, and the love woven into every corner of the ranch.
"First task," Naoki declared, his voice echoing with ghostly resonance. "Weed the entire ranch. When you're finished, I'll bring you a gift."
His figure flickered and faded, returning to soul form.
Satoru stood frozen, staring at the space where his ancestor had vanished. He pinched his leg hard. "Ow!"
It wasn't a dream. It was real.
Eyes wide, he called out, "Great-great-grandfather, are you still here?"
From sowhere unseen, Naoki's voice drifted back, calm and resolute. "Don't disturb until you've completed the task. Finish it, and I will return with your reward."
Satoru's eyes blazed with determination.
As far as he knew, his great-great-grandfather had once been the strongest man in the world. What kind of reward would soone like that prepare?
Excited beyond words, he turned to his partner.
"Charleon! Let's do this together. We'll clear every last weed!"
"Char!"
And so, on the grounds of the long-abandoned Naoki Ranch, a new story quietly began.
(The End)
...
TL Note:
This journey has truly been unforgettable. It's hard to believe that 14 months have passed since I began translating this story. I'm truly grateful to each and every one of you who supported along the way. Even after the fic was taken down, your encouragent and enthusiasm lifted this fic to the top many tis, and for that I sincerely thank you.
Working on this project has been a source of imnse joy, taking through a rollercoaster of emotions that I was fortunate to share with all of you. I hope that throughout this journey, I was able to bring you a translation that felt worthwhile and enjoyable to read.
Thank you once again for all your support. Wishing you nothing but the best- keep smiling, always.
Also, I've started working on a new Pokémon fanfic called Manor Lord in the World of Pokémon, by the sa author who wrote Pokémon: New Path. If you enjoyed this story, I'd be delighted if you could check it out and support by adding it to your library.
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