Pokemon: A New Path

On a warm, sunny spring afternoon, the room was filled with the delightful aroma of cream.

Naoki carefully removed the freshly baked cake from the oven, slicing it in half and filling it with a layer of tree fruit pulp. He then finished it off with a spread of dark chocolate and cream, creating a beautiful new version of his Grass Cake.

[Grass Cake (A+): A cake crafted with ripe summer grass, flour, Moo Moo Milk, special tree fruits, and Alcremie's rich cream.

Effect: Thousand Transformations. When fed to a Grass-type Pokémon, there's a small chance that crops grown with Grass-type energy will undergo slight mutations.

Evaluation: The flavors of each ingredient blend seamlessly, making it a favorite among Grass-type Pokémon. A Grass-type Pokémon that enjoys this treat might even surprise you with a show of gratitude.]

Naoki looked over the evaluation, pleased. "It worked! The Grass Cake's level increased from A to A+, and the chance of mutation is now a small probability rather than almost impossible. That's a decent improvement, right?" he mused.

Though the specifics of the mutation rate weren't detailed, Naoki didn't mind. He could plant more land, and soon enough, some unique crops would surely appear.

Content, Naoki divided the Grass Cake into five portions, giving them to Dolliv, the Gogoats, and Calyrex.

In the glass greenhouse, Calyrex looked at the grassy dessert in front of him, a faintly amused expression crossing his face.

His little believers were so… considerate.

"If I keep eating like this," he thought with an internal chuckle, "I'll turn into the 'Plentiful King.'"

But seeing the hopeful look in Naoki's eyes, Calyrex gave a small sigh, took up a fork, and began savoring the Grass Cake.

"I'll let you enjoy it," Naoki said with a smile, turning to leave. Suddenly, he paused and added, "Oh, by the way, the flowers in the meadow are in full bloom. I built a little flower stand and tea table there while you were away. If you feel like relaxing, you could sit in the sun and enjoy the view."

As the season warmed, Butterfree and Combee had returned to the outdoors, settling back into the natural rhythms of the ranch. Recently, Naoki had moved the hive for the three Combee to an outside spot to ease their nectar collection.

When Naoki mentioned the flower fields, Calyrex nodded in approval, indicating he'd visit the garden soon. Naoki grinned, then headed off and found Cyclizar sunning itself in the nearby grass.

"Up for a quick trip to town?" he asked.

"Gah~"

Cyclizar responded enthusiastically, shaking off the pollen that clung to it before crouching to let Naoki hop on.

Shortly after they left, Calyrex teleported to the ranch's flower fields, taking in the view from above. The field was a vibrant square, with a circular area cleared in the middle where Naoki had set up a flower-laden trellis. The vines climbing up the trellis created a cozy nook, with sunlight streaming down, illuminating the blooming flowers around it.

Three diligent Combee were flitting from bloom to bloom, collecting nectar, while Butterfree rested on a flower, basking in the warmth. Smiling at the peaceful scene, Calyrex gracefully landed in the center, seated himself on a wooden bench, and gazed at the verdant countryside stretching before him.

Suddenly, an idea struck Calyrex. Raising his hand, he summoned Polteageist and Sinistea, who appeared among the flowers. He looked at them and murmured, "Why don't you join me in this little sunlit sanctuary?"

---

In the nearby town of Kosaji, at Hugh's Seed Shop:

With Hugh's guidance, Naoki carefully selected the seeds he needed. Cyclizar waited nearby, staring at the ticking clock on the wall with a hint of impatience.

"A year has already flown by!" Hugh said, a bit nostalgic. "How's life here treating you? Quite the change from your travels, I imagine. Are you settling into this country life?"

Naoki chuckled and said, "Honestly, I didn't think I'd be able to handle all this farm work at first. I almost threw my back out on the first day of tilling. If it hadn't been for Cyclizar and Koraidon by my side, I don't know how I'd have managed!"

"Haha!" Hugh laughed heartily. "It's always tough the first time, but once you get the hang of it, it gets easier!"

"Exactly!" Naoki agreed with a nod.

He'd finished selecting his seeds, gathering garlic, potatoes, strawberries, radishes, cucumbers, cabbage, and turnips.

Garlic would be perfect for making garlic sauce, a savory addition to grilled dishes. Potatoes, versatile as they are, could be turned into mashed potatoes or crispy fries. And cucumbers, once pickled, would make for a refreshing, sour side dish—ideal for days when one's appetite needed a boost.

Hugh packed the seeds and handed them over with a grin. "That'll be 4,200 Poké Dollars. Enjoy the harvest!"

Naoki paid, thanked Hugh, and headed back to the ranch on Cyclizar.

Back at the farmland, he called into a small burrow. After a moment, Diglett popped its head up, curious.

Naoki handed it a slice of bread, grinning. "I'll leave the plowing to you!"

Energized by the treat, Diglett chirped excitedly, "Dig-dig!"

It dove back into the ground, and in no time, zipped across the fields, softening the soil with expert precision.

As Diglett worked, Naoki followed, scattering seeds into the freshly tilled earth. But just as Diglett reached the halfway mark, something unexpected happened.

Suddenly, Diglett stopped in its tracks, and a brilliant white light burst from its body.

"Gah?!" Cyclizar was drawn to the sight, eyes wide with surprise.

Hearing the commotion, Naoki turned and saw Diglett's form shifting rapidly. What had been one head quickly split into three, each identical except for their varying heights.

It had evolved into Dugtrio!

Naoki blinked in astonishment, a smile spreading across his face. "Congratulations, Dugtrio!"

The newly evolved Dugtrio let out a series of enthusiastic squeaks. "Dig-dig, trio!" Energized by its evolution, it plunged back into the earth, now working with renewed vigor.

With three heads coordinating together underground, Dugtrio's speed was astounding. In mere moments, it had covered a vast stretch of soil, leaving the field neatly tilled in its wake.

"Wow… the strength of Pokémon is truly impressive," Naoki murmured, still amazed by Dugtrio's sudden evolution.

Yet, as he considered it, Naoki realized that perhaps ordinary evolutions like this—triggered by steady growth rather than moments of crisis—were typical in this world. The dramatic evolutions in the anime might just be rarer occurrences.

"It's good to have things a bit more… ordinary," he thought, smiling as he continued following Dugtrio, scattering seeds in the soft earth it left behind.

Thanks to Dugtrio's evolution, their work efficiency skyrocketed. In just over two hours, they had finished planting all the fields.

As evening fell, the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of pink, orange, and gold.

Naoki stood beside the freshly tilled field, giving Dugtrio a thumbs up. "Great job!"

"Dig-dig, trio!" Dugtrio squeaked in response, clearly pleased with its hard work.

"Go take a well-deserved rest now," Naoki said, smiling. "I'll bring you your favorite sandwich later."

With an enthusiastic squeak, Dugtrio nodded and burrowed back into the earth, heading toward its nest for a break.

---

By 5:00 p.m., Zack pulled up to the ranch in his truck, right on time.

Naoki quickly brought out the milk collected from his Mount Gogoat, suggesting, "Zack, how about retesting the quality of the milk today?"

"Retest?" Zack asked with a hearty laugh, then paused, his expression turning to surprise. "Wait… does that mean the milk quality has improved?"

Naoki nodded with a smile. "I believe it has."

"This… this is unreal!" Zack's eyes widened in disbelief. He wanted to ask Naoki how he had managed to raise his Gogoats to produce such high-quality milk but decided against it, knowing ranchers often keep their unique methods private.

Zack began testing the milk, but as the readings appeared, his jaw dropped in astonishment. His eyes were as wide as a Tauros' with surprise.

"This is… incredible! I've been in the dairy business for years, and I've never seen fresh milk of this quality before!" Zack was speechless, recalling how the milk from Naoki's Gogoats had previously been known to restore stamina with just a sip. Now, with these new levels of quality, he couldn't even imagine the health benefits it might offer.

"I don't think I can put a fair price on this," Zack finally said, shaking his head in amazement. "I've simply never encountered anything like it."

Naoki stood there, a bit taken aback by Zack's reaction.

Zack, still in awe, hadn't quite recovered from the shock.

Zack stood there, deep in thought. The fresh milk available on the market wasn't just for humans—it was for Pokémon too. Everyone knew that milk produced by Pokémon like Miltank was incredibly nutritious. It helped people grow strong and healthy, and for injured Pokémon, it could even restore energy.

After a long pause, Zack finally said, "I can't set a new price right now. I need to conduct more in-depth tests on this goat milk to understand its effects."

Naoki nodded, understanding. "Alright."

In the end, Zack took only two bottles of goat milk, promising to return with a fair price after running some tests. As Zack's truck disappeared down the path, Naoki sighed and headed back inside. The day was ending, and it was time to prepare dinner for everyone.

Tonight, Naoki went all out with the meal. He prepared grilled steaks, sandwiches, hearty stews, mushrooms and vegetables, and tree sap juice.

As they were eating, Teddiursa suddenly looked up at Naoki with a wistful expression.

"Ursa…"

Naoki noticed the little bear's gaze and sensed that Teddiursa wanted to say something. He took a couple of bites of translation berry crisps and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Teddiursa hesitated, then spoke up, explaining that it wanted to continue its journey. "Ursa, Ursa!" (Naoki, I made a promise with hero—we'd keep traveling to help Pokémon in need!)

Naoki was taken aback for a moment, then nodded in understanding. "I see… So when do you plan to leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Teddiursa replied. Although excited for the adventures ahead, it looked a bit sad, clearly reluctant to leave Naoki and the ranch.

Seeing this, Naoki gently reassured it, "Go without worry!"

"Ursa?" Teddiursa looked at him, curious.

Naoki smiled warmly. "The ranch will be just fine. The Dugtrio can help me with the fields, Indeedee with the housework, and there's always Koraidon and Cyclizar to lend a hand."

"While you're out there, don't worry about us here. Go out and follow your path. If you ever feel tired or need a break, the ranch will always be here for you. I'll have honey pudding and honey tea waiting."

Teddiursa was visibly touched, its eyes shining with gratitude.

"Ursa, Ursa!" (Naoki is the best!)

Nearby, Mew looked equally moved, softly echoing, "Mew…"

Naoki turned to Mew and smiled. "And you're always welcome here too. Once the World Tree is fully grown, you can regard this as your home."

"Mew…" Hearing Naoki's words, Mew looked touched but also a bit embarrassed.

A few days prior, Mew had secretly used its powers to create a hidden base somewhere on the ranch, a cozy little spot filled with all its favorite toys.

"But there's one more thing," Naoki said, catching both Mew and Teddiursa's attention.

Naoki continued, "When you're out traveling, make sure you stay safe. Don't do anything too dangerous, and try not to draw attention from too many humans."

Naoki couldn't help but remember their past travels in Kanto. Thinking back, he felt a chill at the thought of Mew being discovered by someone like Team Rocket's Giovanni.

Even though Mew was powerful and Teddiursa had quick reflexes, he knew even legendary Pokémon like Lugia, Dialga, and Palkia had been captured by humans at times.

Hearing his warning, Mew and Teddiursa nodded in understanding.

"Good," Naoki said with a sigh of relief. He knew Mew's ability to transform would help keep it hidden if it ever needed to escape notice.

The next morning, under the watchful and loving eyes of Naoki and the Pokémon on the ranch, Mew and Teddiursa set off on their journey once more.

They flew over forests, mountains, rivers, and lakes, eventually arriving at a bustling port city. Ships of all sizes lined the docks, ready to embark on new adventures.

Transforming into the form of a Wattrel, Mew landed on one of the ships with Teddiursa by its side. Together, they looked out over the vast blue sea, brimming with excitement for the road ahead.

Teddiursa turned to Mew with a sparkle in its eyes. "Ursa-!" (Naoki said we can invite any new friends we meet to come live with us on the ranch!)

"Mew!"

Mew chimed in happily, feeling a warm thrill at the idea. Throughout its travels, it had met many Pokémon, but parting ways after a short time was always bittersweet. With a home they could share, they'd never have to say goodbye again.

Teddiursa's thoughts drifted to Zapdos, the electric bird who lived at the power plant, often disturbed by curious humans despite preferring solitude.

"Ursa!" (Let's visit Zapdos first! Maybe it'd like to live with us on the World Tree!)

Mew nodded with delight. "Mew!" (Yes! And we can visit Farfetch'd, Pidgeot, and Krabby too…)

Mew listed off the friends it wanted to see, but a wistful look crossed its face when it thought of Mewtwo.

"Mew…" (It's a shame we can't find Mewtwo… It'd be wonderful if Mewtwo, Meowth, and Pikachu could join us too.)

Seeing Mew's sadness, Teddiursa tilted its head, then reached out a comforting paw and patted Mew's shoulder.

"Ursa!" (Naoki always says that as long as we keep traveling, we'll see them again someday!)

Hearing this, Mew's eyes sparkled with renewed determination. "Mew!" (Then let's keep going!)

Together, they declared, "The Hero Expedition Team is back!"

Just then, a whistle sounded from the ship beneath them.

"Attention, passengers! Asagi is about to set sail. Next stop: Olivine City in the Johto region!"