https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-354-The-Natu-and-Wingull-s-Disappearance/12537516/
Chapter 353: Rotom Phone, Dragon Tamer Extraordinaire
Chapter 353: Rotom Phone, Dragon Tamer Extraordinaire
As the thrilling Pokemon battle came to a close, the guests and trainers alike made their way back to their rooms to change out of their rain-soaked clothes.
Naoki couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. In its excitement, his Flygon had forgotten to control the extent of its Rain Dance...
However, to his relief, no one seemed to mind. Everyone was used to such occurrences and laughed it off as they chatted and departed.
Watari didn't rush to change his clothes either. Instead, he released his injured Pokemon and fed them the bottles of sheep milk.
As the injured Flygon and others drank the milk, their eyes slowly opened, and their wounds began to heal at a visible rate.
"This is..." Watari was slightly taken aback, having never seen such an effective healing item before.
"It's a specialty sheep milk from my ranch. It works wonders for injured Pokemon," Naoki smiled and explained.
Sheep milk? Watari stared at the remaining bottle, a little dazed.
On the transparent glass bottle was a sticker with a chibi illustration of the three Ride Sheep. Their heads were pressed together, and they wore innocent and cheerful smiles, looking absolutely adorable.
The bottle was filled with creamy white liquid, gently swaying in the moonlight.
Just then, a loud and carefree voice rang out from the side:
"Hey now! You're just giving away this precious sheep milk? I had to pay a pretty penny for mine!"
Watari tore his gaze away from the milk and, along with Naoki, turned to see Adeku, Kiku-san, and Nimo's father approaching them.
Adeku's tone was slightly sour, "I didn't get this kind of treatment."
Naoki: "..."
Volcarona, perched nearby, chirped, reminding Adeku that it was thanks to Naoki's gifted sheep milk that it had recovered.
Adeku laughed, "Just kidding, just kidding! Long time no see, Watari!"
Watari nodded at Adeku in greeting, "Likewise, Mr. Adeku."
"Daddy! This is the ranch owner I told you about, Mr. Naoki, who delivers packages with a whole flock of Flygon!" Little Nimo ran over and jumped into her father's arms.
Nicharu nodded vigorously, "I know, I know, Daddy remembers."
Not only did he remember, but he had also gained a deeper understanding of the young man through Adeku.
Seeing that their battle had concluded, Nicharu's eyes lit up, and he finally had the chance to ask the question that had been on his mind:
"Hello, Naoki. I'm Nicharu, the owner of Rotom Tech. Are you the author of this proposal for the Rotom Phone?"
"Yes," Naoki replied, a slight stir of interest within him. He asked, "With the current technology, is it possible to manufacture such electronic devices?"
Though intrigued, Nicharu couldn't give a definite answer just yet, "I can't decide on the specifics just yet. I'll need to discuss this with my research and development team back at the company before we can come to a conclusion."
"I see..." Naoki nodded thoughtfully, not surprised by the response.
Nicharu cleared his throat, his tone slightly excited, "Um... Are you really going to give this proposal to our company? Are you interested in collaborating with us?"
Among the guests at this banquet were many big-shot businessmen, including some from other regions who dabbled in electronic device development.
The Rotom Phone had immense potential, and if they played their cards right, their company would surely make a name for itself worldwide.
However, Naoki wasn't concerned with such intricacies. He just wanted to get his hands on a smartphone as soon as possible, so he nodded, "Of course, we're all from Paldea, after all!"
Nicharu breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright then, please leave me a way to contact you. As soon as we have some results from our research, we'll be in touch to discuss your compensation for the proposal."
Naoki politely nodded in agreement, not refusing the offer.
Seeing that the group of trainers wanted to continue their conversation, Nicharu didn't want to intrude further and promptly took his leave.
Now, only Naoki, Nimo, Adeku, Watari, and Kiku-san remained.
They had all overheard the previous conversation, and Adeku couldn't help but ask, "Rotom Phone?"
He made a connection to the existing Rotom appliances, inquiring, "Is it like those Rotom appliances, such as the Rotom Washer?"
Kiku-san, standing beside them, also looked on with curiosity.
Naoki pondered for a moment before explaining, "It's similar but also different. It's not a household appliance like the washer; instead, it's more like a portable communicator with a visual display, similar to a video phone."
Kiku-san, Watari, and Adeku immediately transformed into curious cats. Though they were Gym Leaders and Champions, there was still so much they didn't know about the world.
Seeing their interest, Naoki continued, "Besides the basic communication function, it has a lot of other features, like online shopping, satellite-based navigation, and video conferencing."
While navigation and video conferencing were self-explanatory, the concept of online shopping was foreign to them.
Nimo, ever the curious student, asked innocently, "What's online shopping? Do you mean shopping on the webs that Ariados spin?"
Naoki: "..."
"No," he replied, "Online shopping is about connecting different regions through the internet and using messaging functions to communicate with people in other regions. This way, you can purchase items you need from them."
The remaining three, Adeku, Watari, and Kiku-san, were still constrained by the limitations of their time. They struggled to imagine the scene Naoki had described.
And... what did he mean by having the Flygons deliver packages?!
Kiku-san shot Naoki a bewildered glance, wondering if there really were that many Flygons in the ranch. Meanwhile, Adeku chimed in with a laugh, offering an explanation. "Indeed, I've witnessed that very sight myself. Countless Flygons with small bags tied around their necks, flying into town to deliver milk and vegetables from the ranch to the townspeople!"
Nimo nodded vigorously in agreement. "That's right!"
Kiku-san was stunned.
Watari, too, was equally astonished.
His gaze shifted from the Flygon to Golurk, and he couldn't help but voice the question on his mind. "Are you... also from the Dragon Tamer family?"
He vaguely recalled a Dragon Tamer family from the Unova region.
Naoki paused, then realized what Watari was referring to.
He shook his head. "No, I don't know any Dragon Tamer family. I happened to encounter those Flygons by chance."
Watari nodded, understanding, and dropped the subject.
Adeku, however, was still reeling from the earlier conversation.
He pondered the image in his mind for a moment before asking, "If I were to purchase milk from the Unova region, could the Flygons deliver it across regions to me?"
This brought up the issue of regional security. What if the Flygons were to be mistaken for exploited, oppressed Pokemon by Team Plasma and forcibly liberated during their delivery trips? That would spell trouble.
Naoki considered this briefly before responding in a diplomatic manner, "What I mentioned earlier was just an idea. I don't know if it can be realized yet."
"I understand!" Adeku nodded, then grinned. "Although I don't know much about this, if you need anything, feel free to contact me!"
"Oh, right!" Adeku continued. "The Rotom Phone will definitely need Rotom Pokemon, just like the Rotom Washer, right? If you need any, come find me, and I'll take you to the Electirust Cavern. There are plenty of plasma Rotom dwelling there!"
"Then I'll have to trouble you for that," Naoki said with a smile.
If he were to equip the Rotom Phones for the Dialga and Palkia, he would indeed need Rotom Pokemon.
While the standard Rotom Phones were smartphone-like devices designed to resemble Rotom, they didn't actually contain a Rotom.
Only when a wild Rotom entered the phone would it become a true Rotom Phone.
The Rotom's function was akin to that of smart AI assistants like Xiao Ai or DuDu, capable of translating and transcribing Pokemon language, allowing the contents of the phone to be conveyed to Pokemon like Dialga and Palkia.
Additionally, it enabled smart touch control according to the Pokemon's intentions, allowing them to surf the web just like humans.
Hearing this, Kiku-san developed a keen interest in the young man before him.
He wanted to continue the conversation, but as the host of the banquet, there were many other guests awaiting his attention.
Reluctantly, Kiku-san bid farewell to Adeku and Naoki and turned to mingle with the other guests.
Adeku intended to stay with Naoki, but his presence had been noticed by many members of the Unova League, who were surprised to see him and eagerly invited him to join them for drinks.
Adeku wanted to decline, but remembering his previous irresponsible departure from the Pokemon League and the burden he had left on the Elite Four, he promptly changed his mind.
Now that he had returned, it was time to resume his duties as a Champion.
So, Adeku left Naoki to mingle with the Unova League members, catching up on the latest developments.
Before long, Nimo was also whisked away by her father.
Before leaving, she expressed her eagerness to buy fresh milk and vegetables from Naoki Ranch when she returned to the Paldea region.
Naoki: "...Anyone could tell that Nimo's heart wasn't really in it."
Unlike the others, Watari stayed behind, his gaze shifting from Golurk to Pawniard as he asked, "They're all Pokemon from the Paldea region, aren't they?"
Naoki smiled and nodded, watching his Pokemon frolic in the garden. "Yes, they are."
"We don't have Pokemon like these in Kanto or Johto," Watari admitted. "Today was the first time I've seen them, and to be honest, I couldn't even identify their types at first."
Naoki pointed at the pink Pokemon and introduced them. "That's Pawniard, an Electric and Fighting-type Pokemon."
Watari's gaze shifted from Pawniard to Shriveling and finally rested on Gurdurr's muscular, robust form.
Watari's eyes gleamed with growing enthusiasm, as if he were beholding a sacred relic.
Naoki: "?"
Watari's tone turned admiring as he exclaimed, "What a perfect, majestic Pokemon!"
Gurdurr: "Agurr...?"
Watari asked, "Naoki, you also like Dragon-type Pokemon, don't you?"
Naoki paused briefly, then turned to look at Gurdurr and Axew, nodding. "Yes."
Watari seemed delighted to have found a like-minded individual, and he eagerly shared his thoughts on this Pokemon type:
"Dragons are sacred, legendary creatures. While they may be challenging to capture, with dedicated training, they can become unbeatable! They make the best partners! However..."
Watari didn't want to overstate his point: "...But Dragon-type Pokemon are susceptible to the cold, which is one of their few weaknesses, I suppose? So during the harsh winters, I always snuggle up with my Axew and others to keep warm."
Naoki: "..."
Naoki now understood that Watari was a die-hard Dragon-type enthusiast.
However, he felt compelled to point out, "Well, Charizard and Archeops have 'dragon' in their names, but they aren't Dragon-type."
"Do you also snuggle up with Gurdurr and the others to keep warm?" Watari asked, looking at Gurdurr.
Naoki: "In the winter, I light a fireplace in the ranch, making the whole house cozy and warm. It gets so stuffy that if we stick together, we'd be sweating buckets."
Gurdurr had tried this once while Naoki was asleep, sneaking into his bed.
The result was that it ended up crushing the blankets, causing Naoki to sweat profusely without being able to kick off the covers. He nearly suffocated from the heat.
"Oh, right!" Watari snapped out of his reverie, a sheepish smile spreading across his handsome face. "I forgot that you're running a ranch. I often find myself in such situations because I'm always traveling."
Naoki sometimes envied this adventurous lifestyle.
When he used to watch anime, he particularly enjoyed scenes where Ash would take refuge in a cave with his Pokemon during heavy snowfall.
Thus, Naoki asked curiously, "Do you take shelter in caves during snowy days?"
"Yes!" Watari reminisced. "Back then, I often wished for a dragon-sized fireplace where Pokemon and their trainers could huddle together for warmth... Ahaha, how big would that fireplace be? It's hard to imagine."
Naoki pictured the scene and couldn't help but smile. "That sounds wonderful."
"Huh?" Hearing Naoki's tone, Watari was taken aback. "Naoki, have you never experienced something like that?"
"No," Naoki shook his head. "I've been managing the ranch in the Paldea region and rarely traveled elsewhere."
Watari glanced at his Pokemon and said, "Then you should try traveling. It's an incredible feeling to keep each other warm and company in the natural environment with your Pokemon."
Naoki considered this but shook his head. "Never mind, the Pokemon at home would miss me."
There are always trade-offs in life, and he was already content with his current situation.
Moreover, he couldn't bear to leave his large family. Whenever he went out for a few days, he would long to return to the ranch, thinking about his fields, his Pokemon, and whether Teddiursa and Mew had sent any letters home.
This feeling was perhaps akin to what he had observed in elderly folks who, after leaving their rural homes for the city, always yearned to return to their roots.
The only difference was that those elders worried about their chickens and ducks going hungry and their loyal guard dogs starving.
"I see..." Watari could empathize with that sentiment. "Having Pokemon waiting for you at home and feeling that sense of attachment is truly heartwarming."
"Yes!" Naoki nodded, gazing up at the night sky, a smile on his face.
Tonight's sky was especially beautiful, with a full moon radiating a soft, serene glow.
Many of the Pokemon on the ranch adored this sight, and at this very moment, they might also be looking up at the moon, just like him.
At that moment, a middle-aged man approached them.
Recognizing the familiar face, Naoki's mind immediately registered a name—Professor Rowan! Perhaps due to the rain earlier, Professor Rowan had taken off his lab coat, now wearing only a round-neck sweater, exuding an approachable and peaceful aura.
Watari acknowledged Professor Rowan with a polite greeting, "Professor Rowan."
Professor Rowan nodded at Watari and then smiled warmly at Naoki.
"Greetings, trainer from Paldea! I'm Professor Rowan from Sandgem Town!"
(End of Chapter)
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