On March 8, Year 199 of the Alliance dar, Naoki successfully returo the Paldea region.

  Not long after arriving home, Mayor Thomas paid a visit to Naoki's ranch.

  Before Naoki could greet the Pokémon on the ranch, he hurried to wele the mayor into the living room. The elderly man, leaning on a e, sat on the sofa with a kind expression and asked warmly:

  "Did the exge meeting go well? I hear the tourism in Kitakami is thriving and attracts many visitors each year!"

  Hearing this, Naoki sighed deeply, tpin. "Kosaji Town is still the best," he replied with a tired smile.

  "Oh?" Mayor Thomas raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Did something happen there?"

  Naoki nodded and began to ret his experiences in Kitakami. He detailed the story of Ogerpon, the three panion Pokémon, and the Chief of Kitakami Township's efforts to use the legend of the panions to boost tourism.

  When Naoki finished, Mayor Thomas sat in stunned silenbsp;"I 't believe it. How could something like this happen?" he murmured, visibly troubled.

  Naoki, however, offered a more optimistiote.

  "At least I brought Ogerpon back. It doesn't have to ehat anymore."

  He then reached ferpon's Poké Ball. A fsh of white light illumihe room, and Ogerpon appeared. Seeing the unfamiliar enviro and new faces, Ogerpon panicked slightly, quickly c its face with its hands.

  "Don't be afraid," Naoki reassured. "This is Mayor Thomas. He's very kind and won't harm you."

  "Pon...?" Ogerpoantly peeked through its fingers at the elderly man.

  Mayor Thomas offered a warm smile. "Rex, little one. You're safe here. No one will hurt you. You're wele to visit the town anytime. I'm sure everyone will love you."

  Ogerpon blinked, startled by the wele. Such words were entirely o it. 'Was this kindness real?'

  Naoki nodded encingly. "Of course! Just like in Kitakami, Kosaji Town has lively celebrations. You join in and enjoy yourself without any fear."

  "Pon!" Ogerpon's eyes sparkled with hope.

  Watg this iion, Mayor Thomas sighed deeply.

  "What a poor child," he said softly.

  Naoki held up the four masks Ogerpon had brought with it.

  "Ogerpon, do you want to keep wearing these masks?" he asked gently.

  He uood why Ogerpon had worn them in Kitakami—to hide its fad blend in with the vilgers. But in Kosaji Town, everyone loved Pokémon, and Ogerpon's natural charm would surely wis. Perhaps it no longer o hide.

  Expining his thoughts, Naoki awaited Ogerpon's decision. The Pokémon looked down at the masks, then at Mayor Thomas, and finally nodded with joyful leaps.

  "Pon!"

  "All right," Naoki said with a smile. "I'll take good care of these for you."

  "Pon~" Ogerpon chirped happily.

  With pressing matters to attend to, Mayor Thomas soohe ranch, satisfied that Ogerpon would be safe.

  Naoki seized the opportunity to release all his Pokémon from their Poké Balls. Alcremie and G were already hiding behind the sofa, eavesdropping on the earlier versation. Seeing Ogerpon now, Alcremie's eyes welled with tears, and G radiated protective anger.

  Ogerpon looked at its new panions with wide eyes and murmured softly, "Pon~"

  Naoki chuckled, patting Alcremie and G on their heads. "I'm ting on you two to take care of Ogerpon. I have some errands in town."

  Alcremie nodded eagerly and led Ogerpon on a tour of the ranch, with G following closely behind.

  As the Pokémo, Calyrex appeared in the living room, elegantly resuming its spot on the sofa to tig TV. Meanwhile, Dragonite darted off to water the crops, grumbling about how other Dragonites might have ed their duties in its absenbsp;

  When it thought of this, Dragonite felt very proud. It was the most reliable and capable Dragonite, and Naoki's favorite Dragonite!

  Flutter Mane floated away silently, its destination a mystery as always.

  In the living room, Naoki crouched by the firepce, holding a fruit to attract the Slugma crawling slowly across the floor. "e on, little one," he coaxed.

  The Slugma gazed at the fruit and slowly crept into the firepaoki fed it the fruit, smiling as the small Pokémon looked dazed but tent.

  "You rest here for now," he said softly. "I'll find someone in town to help build you a proper ."

  "Pa-mo! Pa-mo!"

  Pawmot chirped excitedly, squatting by the firepce to watch its new panion with delight.

  In this way, the Slugma would soon have a warm, cozy home!

  "Py with the Slugma for a while. I'm heading out for a bit," Naoki said to Pawmot.

  "Pamo!"

  Pawmot replied enthusiastically, its eyes never leaving the Slugma. It began chatting away in its own nguage, "Pamo Pamo!" No one could quite decipher what it was saying, but it seemed engrossed in its versation.

  Naoki didn't pay much attention. After ensuring everything was in order, he left the ranch, riding on Koraidon to Kelly's forest .

  At the , Kelly was busy sawing wood outside. She looked up in surprise as Naoki approached.

  "Well, look who it is! You don't visit often."

  Naoki sighed inwardly but got straight to the point.

  "Do you have materials or designs for a heating system suitable for Pokemon?"

  Kelly paused her work, intrigued.

  "Heating pipes, huh? For a Slugma?" she guessed.

  Naoki nodded. "Exactly."

  Kelly set down her saw and removed her gloves, heading ihe .

  "I still have the blueprints for your ranch. Are you looking to install the system just in the living room or throughout the house?"

  "The whole house!" Naoki decred without hesitation. He wahe Slugma to have plenty of room to move around freely.

  Kelly gnced over the blueprint thoughtfully.

  "Well, addiing pipes throughout the house will require some structural ges, and it'll ore. Oh, and you only have a firep the living roht?"

  "That's correct," Naoki said. He wasn't too ed about the cost. The ranch's ine was stable, with goat milk, eggs, and other products fetg excellent prices in the market.

  "Then it's doable," Kelly said, making a few adjustments to the blueprints. She added, "I'm helping out with a wine celr at Cherry Orchard today, so I won't be able to start until tomorrow."

  "That's fine. No rush," Naoki replied.

  Kelly smiled warmly. "Great. I'll head to your ranorrow aarted."

  After saying their goodbyes, Naoki made a quick stop at the market. He purchased a batch of fresh ingredients before heading back to the ranbsp;

  Wheurned, however, a surprising se greeted him.

  A group of Pokémon had gathered around a rge, unfamiliar Pokémon—so tall it seemed as if it could touch the treetops.

  Naoki paused in surprise.

  Hearing his approach, the Pokémon turo look at him. The t Pokémon, draped in a leafy green coat and with a brown skirt-like lower body, raised its head. Its colr of dense green leaves obscured its neck, but its familiar eyes caught Naoki's attention immediately.

  "Dolliv...?" Naoki murmured in disbelief. Then he corrected himself. "No, wait... Arboliva?"

  He put down the groceries and walked fazing up at the tall, elegant Pokémon.

  Arboliva—formerly Dolliv—looked at him with a gentle expression.

  The evolution had pletely transformed it. The pyful immaturity of Dolliv was gone, repced by a serene and dependable aura.

  Naoki couldn't help but smile. His Pokémon had grown into somethiraordinary.

  Naoki took a deep breath, his face lighting up with a warm smile. "That's amazing, Arboliva. gratutions."

  At that moment, Alcremie gazed up at the t figure of Arboliva, now standing tall and majestic. As one of the first Pokémon to arrive on the ranch together, Alcremie was genuinely happy for Arboliva's evolution, but a small tinge of envy flickered in her heart.

  "Alcremie..." she murmured softly, wishing she could evolve further.

  Sensing Alcremie's mood, Arboliva extended a leafy arm aly lifted her onto its broad shoulders.

  "Alcremieii!"

  Alcremie cried out in surprise, but the pyful gesture brought a smile to her face.

  Watg this heartwarming iion, Naoki felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him.

  He vividly remembered Arboliva when it first arrived at the ranch. Back then, it was still a shy, tiny Smoliv that preferred to stay in a small flowerpot on the windowsill, basking in the sun.

  When it evolved into Dolliv, its personality didn't ge much—it remained reserved and timid. But occasionally, it would join in G's games or rest he lush pastures where the Gogoat roamed and the World Tree stood tall.

  Now, with its evolution into Arboliva, it had grown signifitly—t at nearly four meters like a mighty tree. This was far rger than the average Arboliva, which typically stood at around 1.5 meters.

  Naoki cast a thoughtful g the World Tree and the fertile pastures.

  "Could it be the natural energy around the World Tree?" he wondered aloud.

  The World Tree's energy was known to be rid abundant, often attrag Pokémon like Gogoat and Dolliv to bask in its presehis energy, in rge quantities, could have tributed to Arboliva's extraordinary growth.

  If the amount is rge enough, it even cause a fight between Groudon, the god of the earth, and Kyogre, the god of the sea.

  He turned his gaze to Ogerpon, who was happily the Pokémon around it. The sight made Naoki smile.

  'It seems Ogerpon is settling in well,' he thought.

  Naoki's mind drifted to the other Pokémon on the ranch. Most had evolved—Pawmot, Arboliva, Butterfree, Dugtrio—but the Naclstack still remained unevolved.

  Turning his attention to the group of Naclstack gathered near Arboliva, Naoki frowned slightly. Despite all his efforts—feeding them nutritious meals, ensuring regur training, and creating the ideal envirohey had yet to evolve intanacl.

  "Why haven't they evolved?" Naoki muttered.

  He reflected on the possible reasons. There were three main causes for a Pokémon not evolving:

  The Pokémon hadn't met the ditions for evolution.

  The Pokémoed evolution, choosing to remain in its current form.

  The Pokémon was wearing aone.

  Naoki sighed. "I'll have to figure this out after lunch," he decided.

  To celebrate Ogerpon and Slugma joining the ranaoki prepared an eborate feast with the help of Indeedee. The meal included hearty meat dishes, vibraable ptes, and a variety of desserts and sandwiches to suit every Pokémon's tastes.

  As he stepped outside to call the Pokémon for lunch, a sudden shadow passed overhead. Looking up, Naoki sados desding gracefully from the sky, a small satchel hanging from its neck.

  Naoki blinked. "Of course... Zapdos has officially bee the delivery service for those two."

  From the satchel, Naoki retrieved a photograph and a Poké Ball, sent by his adventurous Pokémon—Teddiursa and Mew.

  "They've made another new friend," Naoki muttered with a smile, examining the photo.

  Before he could ihe Poké Ball, aed voice called out from nearby.

  "Is that... a Zapdos?!"

  Naoki turo see a young girl with blue and pink hair, her Mage-shaped hair accesslinting in the sun. She clutched a red shoulder bag and stared at the Zapdos with wide, sparkling eyes.

  "It's just like a legendary tale!" she excimed. "So majestiust be someone incredible to be reized by Zapdos!"