Chapter 238: The Cricket Speaker and the Band
Chapter 238: The Cricket Speaker and the Band
Naoki returned to the house, bag in hand, and sat down on the sofa with a sigh of relief after calming the curious Pokemon that had gathered around him.
Seeing Naoki back, Ai Guanshi and her brother were also delighted.
Ai Guanshi's younger sister brought a cup of tea and placed it in front of Naoki, then turned and retrieved two photos from the table.
Naoki raised his eyebrows slightly, looking at the two tiny paw prints on the back of the photos, knowing exactly who had sent them without needing to guess.
He reached out to take the photos, asking casually, "When did these arrive?"
Ai Guanshi's younger sister held up three fingers and then one, "Ai Yi."
Naoki understood—one was three days ago, and the other, a day ago.
He wondered what these photos would reveal this time.
With interest, Naoki turned to the first photo.
It showed a vast, boundless ocean, with a clear blue sky above and fluffy clouds floating in the air.
In the center of the photo were Mimey and Teddiursa, their little faces filled with dismay, seemingly troubled by their inability to find land.
Naoki was quite surprised by this sight.
He recalled that the last time he had received a letter from these two Pokemon, they had been in the Orange Islands.
They shouldn't have ventured far from the Orange Islands in the past few days.
Though he had never been there himself, Naoki could imagine the landscape and environment of the Orange Islands.
Endless seas stretched as far as the eye could see, with scattered islands dotting the waters, collectively forming the Orange Islands.
It was evident that Mimey and Teddiursa had gotten lost, and from the expressions on their faces, it seemed they hadn't found a place to rest for quite some time.
"Poor little fellows..."
Eager to know what happened next, Naoki continued to the second photo.
The background remained the same, an expansive ocean.
However, Mimey and Teddiursa were no longer in the air but on the sea's surface, riding on the back of a Lapras.
Before them, a lush, green island emerged.
Perhaps relieved to have finally found a resting spot, Mimey and Teddiursa wore excited smiles on their faces.
Naoki wondered what they had said to the Lapras, as it turned its head and looked warmly and friendly toward the camera.
A sense of relief washed over Naoki, and he felt happy that Mimey and Teddiursa had found an island.
It seemed they were indeed having quite the adventure.
Looking at the friendly Pokemon in the photo, Naoki murmured, "Lapras... You don't see this Pokemon very often."
Lapras, also known as Laplace, possesses a gentle heart and enjoys carrying people on its back as it swims through the sea. At one point, it neared extinction due to illegal poaching by humans.
However, that seemed like a distant memory now.
Nowadays, the various Pokemon Leagues have listed Lapras as a key protected species, especially in the Alola region.
It is said that Lapras are a little too well-protected in Alola, to the point of becoming a nuisance.
Unfortunately, some die from drought, while others from floods.
Lapras is a rare sight in the Alola region.
After returning to the ranch, Naoki's life fell back into its usual routine.
Each day was spent farming, soaking in the sun, drinking tea, and spending time with his Pokemon.
The group of wild Pokemon he had rescued and kept in the orchard was gradually overcoming their past traumas and adapting to their new life.
One morning, Naoki took them to the back mountains to see what their old home looked like now.
As they entered the mountains, they were greeted by an unfamiliar sight.
The forest, ravaged by the fire, lay in ruins, charred and barren. Thick ash covered the ground, and the blackened, bare trees reached up like a sinister, lifeless forest, devoid of any vibrancy.
Electabuzz, its wing injuries fully healed, flew to a dead branch and perched there, looking down at the sad scene below.
Store, the Sentret, whose tail fur had regrown, scurried up a tree and leaped from one sturdy trunk to another, as if searching for something.
The Lileep and the Shrooms sadly recalled the once vibrant forest, lush with green grass and towering trees.
The rest of the Pokemon wore somber expressions, their hearts heavy with sorrow.
Sighing at the scene, Naoki spoke up, "You know, these ashes contain a lot of nutrients and trace elements that plants need."
The Pokemon looked at him, confused.
Naoki continued, "These ashes will make the soil more fertile. All the flowers, grass, and trees have returned their nutrients to the earth, rejoining the natural cycle."
At that moment, the Cricket Speaker among the group of Pokemon seemed to understand Naoki's words.
It waved its forearms like an inspired musician, and from its mouth came a melodious and peculiar tune.
The melody was initially sad and low, but soon, it swelled like a wave, becoming more and more impassioned.
Naoki was taken aback for a moment.
The other Pokemon seemed to be encouraged by the music, their moods lifting, and their eyes filled with determination.
That's right! Together, they would strive to rebuild their home!
The Cricket Speaker's song came to an end.
Suddenly, a round of "clapping" sounds could be heard from a distance.
Naoki turned and saw a long-haired man with a guitar on his back, accompanied by a Thrumworm, approaching them.
The man looked at the Cricket Speaker admiringly and then said to Naoki, "Your Cricket Speaker has quite a talent for performance!"
Naoki: "......No, it's not my Pokemon. It's just temporarily staying with me."
He proceeded to tell the man about the fire and how he had taken in this group of wild Pokemon.
After listening to Naoki's story, the man sighed sorrowfully, "The fire may be ruthless, but people can show compassion. That fire was truly heartbreaking. I'm Bass, a traveling musician pursuing my musical dream by journeying around the world!"
Musician? This was a first for Naoki. He looked at the Thrumworm by Bass' side and nodded, "I'm Naoki, managing a ranch nearby. But how did you end up here?"
Ever since the fire, this forest had become a desolate place, devoid of tourists or even trainers.
Upon hearing this, Bass explained, "I heard that some Pokemon and people here were immersed in pain and sorrow, so I came! To bring them hope and joy through my music!"
Naoki: "?"
Perhaps the confusion on his face was too apparent, for Bass eagerly explained,
"Music can express emotions, and it can convey emotions to others. Whether it's sadness, grief, joy, happiness, or excitement, this is the path I've chosen for my life—to use music to bring happiness and smiles to people!"
The Cricket Speaker looked touched by these words.
Naoki: "......" Truly an artist.
Bass turned his attention to the Pokemon in front of him, and an idea suddenly struck him. He asked, "I could perform a concert for you all. Would you like to listen?"
The Pokemon were bewildered.
Only the Cricket Speaker looked excited and eager.
Seeing this, Naoki thought for a moment and said, "Alright, let's go to my ranch!"
"Then we're troubling you, Mr. Naoki!" Bass was clearly excited to have an audience for his performance.
The group returned to the ranch, and Bass, who was visiting such a place for the first time, curiously looked around.
However, he quickly put his curiosity aside and focused entirely on the upcoming performance.
In the ranch, a group of interested Pokemon, tall and small, lined up and sat on the soft grass.
Naoki and Golleton stood at the back, curious about what was to unfold.
Seeing that the Pokemon were ready, Bass threw the Poke Ball in his hand into the air and shouted, "Everyone, come on out!"
With a flash of white light, another Thrumworm and a Boom Loudmon appeared beside Bass.
Bass, with his guitar in hand and passion in his eyes, pointed to the sky and shouted, "We are the Thrumworm Band! To bring hope and happiness to people and Pokemon! Everyone, ready, go!"
As his words landed, the Boom Loudmon began to beat the wooden drum in front of it.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Amid the dense and passionate drumbeats, the two Thrumworms produced bass-like cries, followed by the melodious strumming of Bass' guitar and his passionate singing.
"Come on!
Let's go on a journey!
......
Let's conquer the universe and change the world!"
Listening to the music, Golleton could only feel a headache coming on. "......Agassi."
Naoki: "......"
Forgive him; he and Golleton were simply musically challenged.
Naoki turned to look around and saw that the other Pokemon also looked pained, except for the Cricket Speaker, whose eyes sparkled as it waved its arms in time with the melody.
The Boom Loudmon and Thrumworms also looked disheartened.
Naoki stepped forward and asked, "Are you alright?"
Bass turned to him and thanked him first. "Thank you so much for listening to our performance, Naoki."
"I guess I'm still not good enough... During my previous performances, I even made Pokemon listening to the music faint. I'm just a mediocre musician, no, not even that."
Naoki was at a loss for words and reluctantly said, "Actually, your performance just now was fantastic and full of passion."
Bass quickly asked, "Really?"
Naoki: "..."
Seeing the expression on his face, Bass said, "You're such a nice person, Naoki."
"Ah, forget it. A dream that can be realized is not a dream at all!" Bass cheered up again. "Even if no one likes it, we must persist! Because we are the one and only Thrumworm Band in the world!"
"Bang, bang, bang!" The Boom Loudmon agreed and started beating the wooden drum in front of it.
"Chirp~!"
Suddenly, a melodious cry came from the Cricket Speaker nearby.
Naoki and Bass turned to look and saw the Cricket Speaker as if it were encouraged and was looking at them.
Bass looked into its eyes, paused for a moment, and asked, "What? You're saying you really liked our performance just now?"
"Chirp~!"
The Cricket Speaker let out another melodious chirp in agreement.
"Thank you, Cricket Speaker!" Bass smiled. "You're also a very talented musician! If you'd like, I'd love to invite you to join my band."
"Chirp~!"
Seeing this, Naoki raised his eyebrows.
An idea suddenly popped into his mind.
"Cricket Speaker, do you also like playing music?" Naoki asked.
The Cricket Speaker nodded happily.
"Then, do you want to join Bass's band and travel with him?" Naoki asked further.
"Chirp!" The Cricket Speaker nodded excitedly.
Hearing this, Bass was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Naoki in disbelief. "Mr. Naoki, are you...?"
Naoki nodded slightly. "Cricket Speaker is just temporarily staying at my ranch. Instead of having it stay here, I'd rather it pursue what it loves. Bass, will you take good care of Cricket Speaker?"
"Yes!" Bass nodded vigorously.
"Then, go ahead and capture it with a Poke Ball!" Naoki said.
He could tell that the Boom Loudmon and Thrumworms were well taken care of by Bass, and he liked these musical Pokemon.
The Cricket Speaker seemed to be drawn to Bass's desire to convey emotions through music.
So, Naoki respected the Cricket Speaker's choice.
Upon hearing this, Bass took out an empty Poke Ball and captured the Cricket Speaker. The Poke Ball shook a couple of times before it stopped.
"Looks like it has accepted you." Naoki commented.
Bass released the Cricket Speaker from the Poke Ball and greeted it warmly. "Cricket Speaker, please take care of me from now on!"
Cricket Speaker: "Chirp~ Warble~!"
At noon, Naoki invited them to have lunch at the ranch.
After lunch, Bass prepared to leave.
He stood at the ranch entrance with a few Pokemon and bid farewell to Naoki. "Thank you so much for your hospitality, Mr. Naoki. Rest assured, I will take good care of Cricket Speaker!"
Naoki asked, "By the way, where do you plan to go next?"
Bass thought for a moment and replied, "I plan to visit Rustboro City and then head north to Bigfoot Lake."
Naoki nodded silently, thinking about the various cities in the game, and offered a suggestion: "I heard that heavy metal rock is quite popular in the Spikemuth area of the Galar region. Maybe you'll be able to find your own fan base there."
"Spikemuth..." Bass's eyes lit up, and he nodded. "I'll definitely check it out!"
Naoki: "Good luck! I hope that by the time we meet again, you'll have become a famous band."
Bass nodded vigorously. "Yes, we'll do our best!"
"Chirp~ Warble~!"
The Cricket Speaker also bid farewell to Naoki and expressed its gratitude for his care during its stay.
Naoki smiled at it. "Feel free to embark on your journey!"
Perhaps this small gesture of his would change the Cricket Speaker's fate from this day forward.
For him, why not?
(End of Chapter)
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