Chapter 14: A New Member of the Ranch +1
Chapter 14: A New Member of the Ranch +1
The next morning, Naoki opened his eyes to the sound of gentle raindrops pattering outside his window. Peering out, he saw a gray world veiled in a light spring rain, with the sky hanging low and somber.
"At least I don't have to worry about watering the crops today," Naoki thought.
Not wanting to trudge through the muddy terrain, Naoki decided against going out for fishing or foraging in the rain. Instead, he stayed indoors and began rearranging the furniture in the old house to suit his preferences.
He moved his desk beneath the window to enjoy a broader view while reading, no longer feeling confined as he had before. The bed remained in its corner, providing a sense of security.
As for the cabinet...
Naoki circled it contemplatively before deciding to relocate it to the other side of the room to create a partition between the resting area and the kitchen. However, as he directed Golurk to move the cabinet, he was surprised to discover a dusty fireplace hidden behind it.
The fireplace was blackened and bore charred remnants of past fires. Curious, Naoki leaned in for a closer inspection and found that it was still functional.
With time to spare, he set about cleaning out the accumulated ash and soot, soon restoring the fireplace to a spotless state. "What a wonderful surprise!" he exclaimed to himself.
Now, during the chilly winter months, he could light a cozy fire to ward off the cold without worrying about freezing indoors.
As an ordinary office worker in his previous life, this was Naoki's first encounter with a fireplace, and it evoked memories of fairy tales from his childhood storybooks. He reminisced about heartwarming scenes of Mother Bear knitting by the fireplace while Little Bear played with a ball of yarn in the forest.
Indeed, that kind of life was something to aspire to. Of course, it would be even better with more Pokemon companions. Naoki imagined the cozy scene with adorable Pokemon like Eevee, Vulpix, Pikachu, and Skitty, their presence making the picture even more enchanting.
"Now this is what I call living!" Naoki couldn't help but exclaim.
If it weren't for his journey to this world, he would probably be rushing to catch the crowded subway in the pouring rain. But the past was the past, and there was nothing worth longing for there. Embracing the present was what mattered most now.
Shaking his head, Naoki felt the stuffiness of the room and opened the door to let in a breeze. Sitting at his desk, he cooled off while perusing the "Ranching Compendium," seeking information about spring crops, including fertilization techniques, growth cycles, and potential harvest yields.
Moto Lizard and Golurk left him undisturbed as they quietly lounged by the door, listening to the soothing rhythm of the rain. Suddenly, Golurk perked up, as if sensing something. It straightened its body and took a couple of steps forward.
"Gurr?"
Hearing the Pokemon's inquisitive noise, Naoki turned his head. Golurk poked its head out the door, looking to the side.
"What is it?"
"Gurr."
Golurk tilted its head, its gaze fixed on the familiar green caterpillar.
Intrigued, Naoki rose to investigate. He spotted the drenched green caterpillar curled up under the eaves, its tiny body soaked from the rain. A look of surprise spread across Naoki's face.
"A Caterpie?"
As if reacting to his voice, the Caterpie weakly opened its eyes and looked back at him.
"Chyuu..."
At that moment, a bold idea popped into Naoki's head. Could this Caterpie be the same one he had used to test the effects of the sticky rice dumplings yesterday?
Gratitude filled the Caterpie's eyes as it regarded the human's actions.
It had followed him since yesterday.
However, due to its slow speed and encounters with other Pokemon along the way, it had only arrived late last night.
The other Pokemon it encountered were strong, and all it could do was flee from them. But after eating that mysterious fruit, it gained the power to fight back.
While it wasn't enough to defeat them, its resilient silk could now trap them.
Witnessing its newfound strength, the Caterpie felt even more grateful to the human who had helped it.
It wanted to become stronger, to make sure no Pokemon would dare to look down on it again, and so it came here.
However, it was also worried about disturbing Naoki, which was why it had stayed outside.
Naoki brought over a plate of warm, nourishing fruit juice and placed it in front of the Caterpie.
As the Caterpie drank, Naoki couldn't help but think that this little Pokemon must have been inspired by his cooking, much like Hercules in the anime who decided to follow Ash on his journey.
After a moment's thought, Naoki asked tentatively, "Do you want to choose me as your trainer?"
The Caterpie stopped drinking and, feeling the warmth spreading through its body, nodded vigorously. "Chyuu!"
"But I'm not a trainer!" Naoki spread his hands. "As you can see, I'm just an ordinary rancher, and I don't know how to train Pokemon."
His knowledge of Pokemon training was purely theoretical, gleaned from watching anime, and he had no practical experience.
"Chyuu..."
The Caterpie looked a little dejected.
Naoki scratched his head, marveling at the intelligence of this Pokemon, even a tiny caterpillar, in this world.
Determined to become stronger, it had followed him here and even endured the elements like a devoted student...
Naoki felt he had to offer it something in return.
He fell into deep thought.
While Caterpie was weak, its evolved form, a Butterfree, could be quite useful on the ranch, helping with pollination and aiding the growth of crops.
With this in mind, Naoki added, "I'm not a trainer, so I can't train you like they do in the anime, but I might be able to help you get stronger in other ways. Even so, do you still want to stay with me?"
There were so many types of dishes, and who knew, maybe one day he would create a recipe that could enhance a Butterfree or Caterpie's abilities.
It wasn't a guarantee, hence his use of the word "might."
If the Caterpie agreed, he would let it stay on the ranch and help out with chores.
The Caterpie understood the gist of what Naoki was saying. It looked down at the blanket wrapped around it and then at the warm fruit juice in front of it.
This human was so kind! First, he had saved it out in the wild, then given it the fruit that made it stronger. And now, he was offering it a blanket and food.
In that moment, the Caterpie's decision was no longer solely about getting stronger.
—It liked this human.
With that thought, it nodded its head.
"Chyuu~"
(End of Chapter)
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