Naoki firmed his pns for the trip to Unova and quickly got to work.

  The most pressing task reparing the food for Farfetch'd. Sihe trip would st at least a week, he o ehat the Pokémon would be well-fed in his absence. Farfetch'd required three meals a day, each sisting of three servings of fruit ptters. This added up to nine servings daily, or sixty-three portions for seven days.

  Realizing the fruits at home weren't suffit, Naoki headed to the orchard and picked several baskets of fresh produce. He spent the better part of the day slig and arranging the fruits into the ptters Farfetch'd liked best.

  In the living room, Naoki carefully stacked the ptters into the refrigerator, turning to the Indeedee siblings standing by for instrus.

  "I'll be gone for a few days," he began, "so these ptters will be Farfetch'd's meals. Remember to give it three servings in the m, noon, and evening—no more, no less."

  He gave them a serious look. "If you give it too much at once, Farfetch'd might overeat and end up being the first Pokémon in history to die from being too full. Let's avoid that."

  "Ai-ai!" the older Indeedee replied with a nod.

  "Ai-ai!" echoed the younger one.

  Satisfied, Naoki smiled. "Good. I'm leaving everyone here in your care. If anything es up that you 't handle, sult with Calyrex. And if Mew or Teddiursa brings home mifts or Pokémohem settle here for now. We'll sort everything out when I return."

  Both Indeedees nodded in uanding, their usual effi dispy.

  Naoki then headed to the training area to find Farfetch'd, who was busy practig sword teiques on a battered wooden dummy. The Pokémon gripped its leek like a bde, striking with sharp precision. The rhythmic sound of each ssh echoed across the ranch.

  Naoki stood back with his arms crossed, the diligent Pokémon until Farfetch'd noticed him and paused mid-strike.

  "How's it going?" Naoki asked with a smile. "Mastered any new moves yet?"

  "Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd nodded ohen shook its head.

  The nod meant that training was going smoothly, but the shake indicated that eiques had been mastered.

  Farfetch'd had been through this cycle tless times. It often learned powerful moves during training sessions, only tet them by the day. Still, through repetition, its mastery of fual teiques had improved immensely.

  "Show me," Naoki enced, stepping back to give Farfetch'd room.

  Farfetch'd nodded with determination. Taking its leek in hand, it assumed a battle stas eyes sharpened, and in the blink of a activated Double Team, creating shadowy duplicates of itself. In perfect synization, the es surrouhe wooden dummies, each drawing its leek with swift precision.

  A dazzling white light enveloped the bdes, followed by a synized execution of Ssh. The wooden dummies shuddered uhe force of the attack before splintering into pieces. As the es vanished, Farfetch'd stood tall, its leek sheathed, exuding fidence.

  Naoki's eyes lit up. "That was incredible! bining Double Team with a precise strike... but... it feels like it's missing something."

  Farfetch'd tilted its head quizzically. "Farfetch'd?"

  Naoki expined, "After a move like that, you could follow up by rushing forward, using the momentum to leap, and striking from above."

  Farfetch'd's eyes glimmered with inspiration. It turs attention to the remains of the wooden dummy, gripping its leek tightly as it repyed Naoki's words in its mind.

  After a moment of stillness, Farfetch'd sprang into a. It rushed forward, bde glowing with energy as it executed another precise strike. This time, instead of stopping, it used the momentum to leap upward, twisting elegantly in the air. With its leek raised high, it brought the bde down in a powerful overhead ssh, nding gracefully on the ground.

  Alder, watg from behind, cpped his hands in admiration. "Beautiful! I didn't expect you to have such a unique insight into swordsmanship!"

  Naoki stayed silent for a moment. Could he admit that this inspiration came from a certain two-word on he'd once read about? Probably not.

  Still, it was a shame that Farfetch'd didn't know how to use Detect. If it could master that skill while sheathing its leek, it might perfectly anticipate an oppo's move and defend itself—just like the Mikiri ter teique with a katana.

  Farfetch'd held its leek tightly and repyed the movements in its mind, clearly inspired. Its eyes sparkled with excitement as it turo Naoki.

  "Quack!" it excimed, as if to say, 'This feels just right!'

  Naoki smiled and nodded. "Keep at it!"

  Farfetch'd responded with a determined nod, its enthusiasm palpable.

  Naoki g the broken wooden dummies littering the ground. He made a mental o call Kelly ter to repair them. But before that, he had something important to say to Farfetch'd.

  "Oh, I almost fot," Naoki said. "I'll o be away for a few days. But don't worry—I've prepared plenty of fruit ptters for you, and the Indeedees will make sure you're fed on time."

  Farfetch'd froze, momentarily stunned.

  "Don't worry," Naoki reassured it. "I'll be back soon. Just keep practig while I'm gone, alright?"

  "Farfetch'd!"

  Farfetch'd hough its expression revealed a tinge of reluce.

  Havi Farfetch'd's mind at ease, Naoki returo his room to pack for the trip. But no sooner had he started than a otioed. Ogerpon and a few other Pokémon came rushing in, clearly eager to join the preparations.

  "Oge! Pon!"

  Ogerpon's starry eyes sparkled with excitement as it poio Naoki's bag.

  Naoki blinked in surprise. "What's up?"

  Ogerpoured at the luggage, boung slightly in pce.

  "Pon!"

  It clicked. "You want to e with me?" Naoki asked.

  Ogerpon nodded enthusiastically. "Oge!"

  "Well…" Naoki sidered for a moment before smiling. "Of course, you e!"

  At this, Alcremie and G, who had followed Ogerpon into the room, also perked up. Their longing gazes made their wishes clear.

  "Alcremie…" Alcremie murmured softly.

  "Buyi…" G added, its bright eyes full of hope.

  Naoki chuckled aly patted their heads. "You two e as well. I'd love t you along."

  Their reas were instantaneous. Alcremie hopped with joy, and G's eyes lit up, its tail wagging slightly iement.

  Naoki resumed pag, adding, "If there's anything you'd like t with you, go grab it now. I'll pack it for you."

  He was referring to their favorite toys, as every Pokémon on the ranch had something special Naoki had gifted them from town.

  The three Pokémon scampered off to collect their treasures.

  G darted toward its ice cave, determi its prized Ice Stone along. But the stone was rger than it was, and G soon realized it couldn't budge it on its own.

  Relutly, it turo Cyclizar for help.

  Alcremie trotted over to the refrigerator, her eyes lighting up as she spotted her favorite treats inside. She motioned for Koraidon to help her open the heavy door. Once open, she carefully pulled out several small cakes, delicately pg them into her little bag, clearly preparing for a delicious journey.

  Meanwhile, Ogerpon headed toward the room where the four masks were stored.

  This wasn't out of fear—it was because its true power y hidden within the masks. Only when it donned one could it unlock its full potential.

  Ogerpon had a quiet determination. Naoki didn't fully realize how powerful it was, but Ogerpon thought, 'If trouble arises during our trip, I'll wear the mask and fight for him.'

  Before long, the three Pokémouro Naoki, each holding their chosen item.

  Naoki g the enormous Ice Stone cradled awkwardly in Cyclizar's arms and sighed. "Are you sure you want to take that with you?" he asked G, his tone ced with both amusement and .

  "Buyi~!" G nodded eagerly. The Ice Stone was its favorite treasure.

  Naoki hesitated. "But... it's enormous. Carrying it around will be such a hassle."

  G blinked, its expression shifting as it g the others and then back at its precious sto seemed to weigh the pros and s.

  "Bui..." It finally admitted with a soft sigh that the stone might indeed be te for the trip.

  "It'll be safe here at the ranch," Naoki reassured. "No one's going to steal it."

  G hesitated a moment longer before relutly agreeing, leaving the Ice Stone behind. Naoki and Cyclizar both sighed in relief—especially Cyclizar, as the stone's chill had been biting through its scales. It quickly returhe stoo the ice celr and thereated to the warmth of the firepce, curling up beside the Slugma to defrost.

  Naoki tucked Alcremie's cakes safely into his bag. But when his gaze nded on the four masks Ogerpon was holding, he couldn't hide his surprise. "You want t those with you?" he asked.

  Naoki hesitated before addily, "The people in the Union won't judge you. You don't need a mask to hide yourself. And no matter what, I'm here with you."

  Ogerpon shook its head vigorously, realizing Naoki had misuood. With a determined gleam in its eyes, it pulled out a fiery red mask and pced it over its face.

  Naoki watched, his curiosity growing. Then, to his astonishment, Ogerpon's form began to ge.

  A wave of intense heat radiated from the mask, enveloping Ogerpon in a bzing aura. Its vibrant green coat transformed into a fierce, fme-like red, and its entire demeanor shifted. The fiery energy that coursed through its body alpable, filling the room with a crag heat.

  "Pon!" Ogerpon stood tall, exuding power and fiden its transformed state.

  Naoki stared, wide-eyed. "Your appearance... it's pletely different!" He muttered to himself, "This isn't just a ge in looks. Your attributes have shifted, too. Fire-type? Or maybe Fire and Grass?"

  Ogerpon beamed with pride, clearly pleased by Naoki's rea. Then, as if to demonstrate further, it removed the fiery red mask and repced it with a blue, water-themed one.

  Ogerpon's coat shimmered and transformed into a deep blue hue, remi of flowing water. Its attributes shifted once again—this time, it seemed to take oer type.

  Naoki's curiosity iqued. "What about the stone-like mask?" he thought aloud.

  As Ogerpon dohe sturdy, earth-toned mask, Naoki quickly deduced the result. Its attributes shifted yet again—this time to Rock type.

  "What's going on?" Naoki muttered, his mind rag. His thoughts turo the Crystal fragments he had fished out from Luminous Lake some time ago. Could those fragments be the key?

  "Oge~"

  Ogerpon chirped happily, snapping Naoki out of his thoughts. It removed the mask and handed all four to Naoki, motioning for him to pack them in his bag.

  Naoki reached out and took them, still processing the revetion. Until now, he had assumed these masks were mere accessories. But it turned out they held incredible power—power that could amplify Ogerpon's strength and even ge its type.

  Naoki gazed at Ogerpon with newfound respect. 'This Pokémon truly is extraordinary.'

  Taking a deep breath, Naoki carefully tucked the masks into his backpack. He then moved to the Poké Ball ra the living room, retrieving the Poké Balls of Alcremie, G, and Ogerpon, preparing to take them along for the journey.

  This time, in addition to these three Pokémon, Naoki decided t Koraidon, Cyclizar, Flutter Mane, Pawmot, and Dragonite. Alder had mentiohat Lance might attend the dinner, and Naoki couldn't pass up the opportunity. If there was a ce, he wao test Dragonite's strength against Lance's reeam to see how far his own Dragonite had e and how it pared to a Champion-level Pokémon.

  Despite living on the ranch, where battles were rare, Naoki was eager to uncover Dragorue potential.

  The m, Naoki and Alder bid farewell to everyo the rand embarked on their jouro the Union. They boarded a Flying Taxi, which whisked them away to Brewing City.

  As they flew, Alder turo Naoki. "The ba will be held in Driftveil City," he expined. "I checked beforehand and found a luxury cruise departing from Paldea that heads straight to Driftveil. We'll take that."

  "Sounds good," Naoki replied.

  Naoki had no objes to traveling by cruise ship. He much preferred it to flying, especially si meant he wouldn't have to check his luggage.

  Alder chuckled. "We have a few days before the ba. During that time, I'll introduce you to a Pokémon breeder. She'll teach you how to make Pokeblocks."

  Naoki nodded, his mind already wandering. The mention of Unova made him think of its iic trio: Zekrom, Reshiram, and Kyurem. Each represented a distinct element—Zekrom's raw power, Reshiram's graceful elegance, and Kyurem's chilling indifference.

  His thoughts lingered ohree Dragons of Unova, some of the most impressive Dragon-type Pokémon ience. As a lover of both cuddly Pokémon like Pawmot and majestic dragons, Naoki couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

  Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked, "By the way, Mr. Alder, are there any powerful legendary Pokémon in the Union?"