https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-195-Twice-the-Fun-Twice-the-Relaxation/12537226/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-197-The-Embryonic-Form-of-the-Pidgeot-Express-Company/12537228/
Chapter 196: Moon, Tides, and the Mighty Dragonites
Chapter 196: Moon, Tides, and the Mighty Dragonites
The irritable Dragonite finally left with the two reluctant Dragonites, three Dratinis, and two Noibats.
Before leaving, the two wild Dragonites also snuck away with Naoki's large stash of Poke Blocks.
It all started when Naoki, unable to bear seeing the Dratinis and Noibats so sad, wrapped some Poke Blocks in bundles as parting gifts for them.
The two wild Dragonites saw this and immediately put on a cute act.
Naoki had no choice but to pack some for them too.
He had even thought of giving the irritable Dragonite some, but it showed no interest and flew away.
"..." Naoki was speechless. "That's so like it!"
With those five pesky little dragons finally gone, the ranch's Dragonite felt like the world had suddenly become brighter.
It inhaled the floral scent in the air and felt like life had never been so good.
The Dragonite pranced excitedly on its tiptoes in the grass and then hugged the nearby Arcanine, sharing its joy.
The Arcanine gave it a look of resignation, its eyes pleading with Naoki for help.
Golem, standing by, watched this scene with a complicated expression. It ruthlessly burst the Dragonite's bubble: "Gaaah!" ("Naoki will still be going to Dragon Island tonight!")
Instantly, the Dragonite felt its world darken once more, and the flowers' fragrance seemed to fade.
Naoki laughed at this exchange. "Alright, alright. I'm just going there to check on things. I promise I won't bring back any more Dragonites."
The Dragonite had become smarter. "Roaar?" ("What about the Dratinis and Noibats?")
"Nope, not them either," Naoki thought for a moment. "We don't have enough food stockpiled at home. We need to save up and prepare for winter, when we can't grow crops."
Hearing this, the Dragonite felt relieved.
It thought about it and, assuming that the wild Dragonites had eaten all the food at home, patted its chest and assured Naoki, "Roaar!" ("I'll help look for food too!")
The Dragonite had experienced winter before.
That season was extremely cold, with snow covering the entire island. No berries could be found, and even the fish in the sea migrated to deeper waters.
So, some Dragonites would store up berries in advance and then hole up in their nests to weather the winter.
"Good boy," Naoki smiled. "You don't need to worry about finding food for the family just yet."
He pointed to the berry orchard in the southwest corner of the ranch. "Do you see that orchard over there? In a while, it will bear large and juicy berries. Along with the crops we've grown, you'll have more than enough food to last through the winter."
Every time he thought about this, Naoki felt incredibly proud.
Look! The once-neglected ranch had been transformed under his care! It was now lush with fruit, fertile with grass, and abundant with crops—a true paradise for Pokemon!
Life was complete.
Naoki relaxed his waist, waved his hand to let the gathered Pokemon play on their own, and then turned to head back.
The Dragonites had said that their evolution ceremony would begin when the moon rose.
So, that evening, Naoki prepared to go to Dragon Island to witness this special ceremony.
Thinking of the Dragonites evolving under the moonlight, Naoki decided, "I'll need to buy a camera to capture this moment."
Such a precious scene should not be left unrecorded.
Moreover, the photos could be framed and hung on the wall of the pub to add to its character.
So, that noon, after finishing lunch, Naoki headed to the department store in Aspertia City to buy a camera.
On this autumn afternoon, the quiet older brother, Butler, silently set up a delicate small round table and a chair beside the flower field.
His sister, Maid, thoughtfully brewed a cup of Naoki's favorite tea.
This particular type of tea was produced from leaves that grew on Deerling's horns, and it had a rich aroma that was loved by many tea enthusiasts. It was a must-have at any tea party.
Looking at the tea party prepared by the Butler and Maid siblings, Naoki felt surprised and warmed.
He sat down at the table, invited by the sister, and took a delicate sip of the fragrant tea.
"Mmm... Your tea-brewing skills are perfect!" Naoki praised.
The sister, Maid, smiled shyly. "Eee~" ("Big brother can brew tea too~")
"Hmm?" Naoki suddenly became curious. "Then why haven't I seen him brew tea before?"
The sister glanced at her brother and noticed his tense expression. He was trying to keep a straight face, but his disapproving gaze gave away his disagreement.
The sister, Maid, twirled her eyes, unsure if she should say anything.
Seeing her hesitation, Naoki immediately recalled what the sister had said earlier about her brother being clumsy and blowing up the kitchen. He suddenly understood. "Oh, I get it now!"
The older brother, Butler, looked a little embarrassed.
The sister quickly waved her hands. "Eee!" ("Big brother, it wasn't me who said that!")
Brother Butler: "..."
"What's the matter?" Naoki laughed heartily. "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
"Take me, for example. I'm good at cooking, but if you asked me to sew clothes or make dolls, I wouldn't be able to do it.
The two busybody Pokemon looked at him curiously.
"Not only did I fail to fix the clothes, but I also ended up pricking my fingers. In the end, I had no choice but to stuff those clothes into the depths of my closet," Naoki admitted.
With the daily farm work, it was common for his clothes and pants to get worn and torn.
Brother Butler, the more observant of the two, understood the underlying meaning behind Naoki's words.
His expression softened, losing the embarrassment it held earlier.
Naoki, meanwhile, turned his attention to a group of Pokemon not far away, fiddling with the camera he had purchased.
After buying the camera, he had let the Pokemon play with it since they seemed interested. He intended to let them take pictures of whatever caught their fancy, and he would then develop the photos to create a decorative photo wall in the pub.
Several Pokemon, including Golem, were enthusiastic about this idea. Even Arcanine got involved, playfully tussling with Golem over the camera.
"You guys are so lively!" Naoki exclaimed, feeling a sense of warmth as he watched the playful scuffle.
Sister Maid, standing nearby, asked with a hint of concern, "Ai Yi?" ("But Naoki, aren't you worried they'll break the camera?")
As she watched the Pokemon jostling over the device, her heart was in her mouth, fearing that a careless move might send the camera flying and crashing to the ground.
Naoki shook his head, his smile unwavering. "It's just a camera. If it breaks, it breaks. Their happiness is more important."
Of course, that was only true as long as it was an accident. Intentional damage was another matter entirely.
Hearing this, the siblings exchanged a glance and whispered to each other.
"Ai Yi..." (I knew it was weird!)
"Ai Yi." (Naoki really likes these Pokemon.)
"Ai Yi?" (I wonder if he'll like us too?)
Brother Butler thought for a moment. "Ai Yi." (Probably.)
Naoki, absorbed in the beauty of the flowers and the tea, didn't catch their quiet exchange.
He sat by the flower field, basking in the afternoon sun, enjoying the delicate fragrance of the autumn blooms and the soothing taste of the tea.
This impromptu tea party hosted by the two siblings had sparked an idea in Naoki's mind.
Perhaps he could transform the flower field into a lush garden overflowing with vibrant blooms. In the center, he could place a set of tables and chairs dedicated to tea-drinking.
That way, during his leisure time, he could soak in the sun, sip tea, read a book, or simply enjoy the company of his Pokemon in this idyllic setting.
As evening fell, casting a golden hue over the landscape, Naoki finished a simple dinner and prepared to set off for Dragon Island to witness the evolution ceremony of the Dragonites.
"I'll leave the ranch in your care. The pub will open for business soon, but since it's the weekend, we'll keep it closed. Feel free to do as you like after that—watch TV, play, whatever makes you happy," Naoki instructed the siblings, ensuring they were clear on the arrangements for the evening.
Hearing that the pub would be closed for the weekend, Sister Maid's face fell, her disappointment evident.
Noticing her expression, Naoki couldn't help but chuckle. "Who enjoys working that much?"
Sister Maid pouted. "Ai Yi..."
"Alright, alright," Naoki sighed. "Do whatever you want, but just remember one thing."
Her eyes lit up at his words, and she asked eagerly, "Ai Yi?"
"Don't tire yourself out," Naoki said with a smile.
Sister Maid nodded vigorously. "Ai Yi, Ai Yi!"
She wasn't afraid of hard work! The amount of work they had to do was nothing compared to the joy it brought them and the positive impact it had on Naoki and his Pokemon.
"All right then." Naoki ruffled her head affectionately before mounting Golem to begin his journey to Dragonite Island, accompanied by the Dragonite.
For this trip, he had only brought Golem and the Dragonite along, leaving the other Pokemon behind at the ranch.
With uncertainty about how long he would be away, and the possibility of a late return, he decided to let Babo, Motosori, and the others rest at the ranch.
The Pokemon were well-behaved and understood the situation, especially Motosori, who was used to staying behind to watch over the ranch whenever Naoki had to work at night.
Back when the ranch had fewer Pokemon, Motosori had often kept Naoki company during his night shifts.
Motosori thought back to those days, knowing that his work was important and that he couldn't afford to distract Naoki.
Amidst these memories, a quiet longing surfaced in Motosori's heart—a wish to be more like Golem and do more to assist Naoki.
"Roar!"
Soaring over the ocean under the blanket of night, the Dragonite once again expressed its awe at the fullness of the moon.
Intrigued, Naoki asked, "Do you really like looking at the moon that much?"
He recalled the first time he had met the Dragonite, how it had sat there, gazing at the moon with a hint of sadness in its eyes.
Naoki raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the Dragonite's poetic insight. Who would have thought that this Dragonite, capable of raging fury, also possessed a hidden talent for poetry, inspired by the moon?
At that moment, Gorebyss couldn't help but interject, "Agassa!"
Naoki looked up and saw that they had already arrived at Dragonite Island.
They quickened their pace and soon landed on the island.
The Dragonites and a group of unevolved Dratinis and Hakurons on the island noticed their arrival.
In an instant, Naoki felt dozens of sparkling eyes on him.
"Whoosh!" Several small figures darted out from the bushes.
They were the same Mini Dragons and Hakurons who had left the ranch that morning.
Seeing their excited expressions, Naoki couldn't help but reach out to ruffle their heads affectionately, asking with a smile, "Did you miss me?"
The Mini Dragons and Hakurons nodded vigorously, letting out enthusiastic "Wuu!"
The Dragonite by his side narrowed its eyes, "Roaar!" ("It's only been half a day!")
It wanted to say more, but before it could, more Mini Dragons, Hakurons, and Dragonites rushed forward, pushing the first Dragonite aside and surrounding Naoki in the middle.
"Roaar!"
"Wuu~"
"..."
The Dragonite widened its eyes, suddenly alert at this unexpected display of affection.
What was going on?
Why had these guys suddenly become so enthusiastic?
The draconic roars of the Pokemon filled the air, causing Naoki to feel like the number of words he had painstakingly memorized in his translation conch was being rapidly depleted.
Even he was a little overwhelmed at this point.
Through their roars, Naoki could roughly understand what had transpired.
Apparently, when the irritable Dragonite had returned to Dragonite Island with the two wild Dragonites and a group of Mini Dragons and Hakurons earlier in the day, the delicious aroma of the Poke Blocks they carried had attracted the attention of the other Dragon-type Pokemon on the island.
Curious, they had asked about the tasty treats, to which the wild Dragonites, Hakurons, and Mini Dragons proudly replied, "Roaar!" ("These are the snacks Naoki gave us!")
They excitedly shared stories about their life on the ranch.
Especially the tiny Mini Dragons and Hakurons, whose vivid descriptions successfully painted a captivating picture of ranch life, unintentionally attracting a crowd of Pokemon who now wanted to experience the ranch lifestyle for themselves.
Naoki: "..."
At this point, the Dragonite also realized what had happened, but it was too late for it to push its way through the crowd.
It sadly thought to itself that if it had known this would happen, it wouldn't have brought Naoki to Dragonite Island earlier.
Regret filled its heart.
"Agassa..."
When it came to Naoki's popularity among Pokemon, Gorebyss seemed to accept it more readily than the Dragonite.
After all, no matter what, these Dragonites would never be able to enter Naoki's room and sleep by his side.
To Naoki, Gorebyss was his one and only! Gorebyss had learned to make the most of this situation and even tried to share its coping strategy with the Dragonite.
Suddenly, a loud Dragonite roar captured the attention of the crowd.
The Dragonites, Mini Dragons, and Hakurons all turned their heads and flew toward the other end of the island.
Naoki, finally freed from the enthusiastic Pokemon, wiped the sweat from his brow.
These Dragonites were incredibly passionate about his food! But this played right into his hands, as he could now use the food as a reward to start a Dragonite delivery company.
Noticing the commotion in the distance, Naoki asked the Dragonite beside him, "Is it starting?"
The Dragonite's attention was also drawn to the unfolding event.
It nodded and flapped its wings, taking to the air.
Naoki, riding on Gorebyss, followed closely behind, arriving at the other end of the island.
The full moon hung high in the sky, bathing the entire sea in a fantastical glow.
The deep blue ocean reflected the soft moonlight.
Beneath the waves, a mysterious whirlpool had formed.
Mini Dragons and Hakurons leaped from the air, plunging into the whirlpool and swimming vigorously within it.
Naoki quickly raised his camera to capture this spectacular scene.
Suddenly, the seawater began to flow upward, as if it had come alive, forming a column of water that reached for the sky and the moon.
Then, another column of water surged from the sea!
Was this... the water flowing toward the moon that the Dragonites had mentioned?! Naoki's pupils contracted as he witnessed this seemingly impossible phenomenon, leaving him stunned.
However, his attention was soon drawn to something within the columns of water.
He quickly adjusted the focus on his camera, zooming in on the mysterious silhouettes.
The next second, the true forms of the shadowy figures were revealed through the lens.
They were a group of small, blue Pokemon, almost indistinguishable from the seawater. Their bodies were round, with ribbon-like antennae on their heads, tiny mouths, and a pair of large blue eyes. A red, oval-shaped gem adorned their chests.
They had a single, spike-like foot, which appeared to be still developing and not yet fully formed.
They were...
Phione?!
(End of Chapter)
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