To help Farfetch'd with its training, Naoki immediately visited Kelly's workshop after leaving the Pokémoer and ordered nine wooden dummies.

  Kelly nodded in uanding, expining that other trainers had ordered simir dummies from her in the past for Pokémon training.

  "I'll bring them over when I e by tomorrow to install the heating pipes for the Slugma," Kelly added.

  "Good," Naoki replied, satisfied with the arra. He then rode Koraidon back to the ranch.

  Evening at the Ranch

  Exhausted from days of traveling, Naoki leaned ba the sofa to rest and asked sister Indeedee to prepare dinner. Outside, the night enveloped the ranch, with only the occasional calls of bird Pokémon breaking the silence.

  Ihe warm living room, the atmosphere was lively. The Slugma enjoyed a pte of Poffins by the firepce, occasionally letting out cheerful chirps as it ate. G and Cyclizar y nearby, watg the Slugma with curious expressions.

  Pawmot and Alcremie were tired from their daytime advehey y on the sofa, fnking Calyrex, atg television, their bodies pletely at ease.

  On the coffee table, Sinistea and Polteageist dozed lightly. Flutter Mane hovered he ceiling, drowsy due to its adjusted schedule. Meanwhile, Arboliva rested on the sofa with its eyes closed.

  Naoki's gaze swept over his Pokémon family, and a sense of te filled him.

  Ogerpon sat obediently beside him, its eyes sparkling like stars as it gnced around.

  "Oge…" Ogerpon whispered, its voice soft with wonder.

  Everything about this ranch seemed like a dream to it—the warm camaraderie of the Pokémon, the kihey showed. G taking it to pick flowers, Alcremie sharing its sweet cream, Pawmot showing it the chi coop, and Cyclizar sneaking it berries—all these acts made Ogerpon feel deeply wele.

  For the first time, Ogerpon didn't feel the o wear a mask to ceal itself. The mayor had even i to visit the town. These were moments it could never have imagined ba Kitakami.

  Thinking of this, Ogerpon's eyes welled up with tears.

  Naoki noticed right away. ed, he asked, "What's wrong?"

  The other Pokémon gathered quickly, their voices filled with worry. They asked if Ogerpon had been bullied and assured it they'd stand up for it if needed.

  Hearing their kindness, Ogerpon chuckled through its tears and shook its head. "Pon~" (I'm just happy.)

  Naoki watched the se unfold a a swell of pride. These kied Pokémon had all grown up under his care.

  After dinner, Naoki prepared a room ferpon on the sed floht o the Indeedee siblings. As the house quieted, Ogerpon y on its soft bed, listening to the faint sounds of Pokémoling in downstairs.

  The quiet eventually gave way to sleep, but Ogerpon couldn't rest. It got up and approached the bookshelf, where four masks were dispyed. Its gaze lingered on the green grass mask, adorned with a shard of Terastal energy that Naoki had salvaged from a crystal pool.

  "Oge~" it murmured softly, its emotions a mix of gratitude and hope.

  ...

  The M

  At nine o'clock, Kelly arrived at the ran her truck. Her workers quickly unloaded square heating pipes and the wooden dummies.

  After ensuring all the materials were ated for, Kelly turo Naoki and asked, "Where should we set up the wooden dummies?"

  "Let me check," Naoki replied, sing the ranch. However, no suitable space seemed avaible. Most of the ranch was already occupied, leaving little room for new instaltions.

  The chi coop, the rge Pokemon House, the former salt ste house, the stable, the orchard, the World Tree, the flower field, the sheepfold foat, the gss greenhouse, the Pokémon tavern, and the sprawling farmnd.

  Naoki looked around the ranch, suddenly realizing just how much it had grown.

  Unsciously, it had developed into something much bigger than he had ever anticipated.

  Naoki hesitated, unsure of where to pce the new equipment.

  Kelly, who hadn't visited the ran some time, gnced around and smiled. "It looks like your ranch is getting busier and more prosperous!"

  Naoki's gaze fell on the empty spaext to the stable. He pointed and said, "Let's put it there."

  That was the only remaining open space. Other areas, like the grassnds, were reserved for the Gstrier, Spectrier, and Miltank to roam and roll freely. Losing that space would deprive them of their freedom to run, an essential part of their happiness ah. Without exercise, they would grow restless and despo.

  "Got it!" Kelly nodded, direg her workers to move the materials to the designated area.

  Under Kelly's supervision, the workers hammered and secured the wooden dummies. Whehing was done, a dedicated practice zone for Farfetch'd was pleted.

  The setup sisted of nine wooden dummies arranged ly in three rows of three.

  Naoki recalled the agreement he made with Farfetch'd the previous night. To prevent it from overeating and risking its health, Naoki had limited it to six servings of the fruit ptter daily—tws ea the m, noon, and evening.

  However, Farfetch'd had objected vehemently, fluffing its feathers and insisting it could handle more. Naoki relutly increased the limit to nine servings per day.

  Even so, Farfetch'd couldn't stop thinking about the fruit ptters. After the ordeal it went through the previous day, it was determio master a god-level sword skill. Otherwise, all its suffering would have been for nothing.

  Calling Farfetch'd, who was staring ily at a piece of fruit, Naoki gestured toward the practice zone. "You practioves here."

  Farfetch'd, holding its leek with a look of fierce determination, nodded. After a night of rest, it had regais usual swordsman-like demeanor.

  Without hesitation, it raised its leek high and struck a wooden dummy with precision. The satisfying thud reverberated in the air as Farfetch'd tested its strength against the sturdy dummies.

  Pleased with the setup, Farfetch'd Naoki and tio dart skillfully between the dummies, delivering swift and calcuted strikes.

  Naoki watched silently, his lips parting as though to say something, but he stopped himself. He wao suggest that Farfetch'd wait until it had mastered some new moves from the fruit ptter before resuming its rigorous training. After all, it currently only khe move Sword Dance, so there wasn't much to lose if it fot it temporarily.

  But seeing the iy and dedication in Farfetch'd's as, Naoki decided against interrupting.

  Let it practice, he thought. Repeated training would only enhas proficy. O mastered these teiques to perfe, relearning them—even if fotten—would be far easier.

  Kelly, watg from the side, ented with admiration, "That's one hardw Pokémon."

  Naoki smiled knowingly, thinking back to the previous day. This determined Farfetch'd had ed nearly forty berries in a siting, all in its quest to learn powerful moves. It had pushed itself to the brink of exhaustion in its pursuit of greatness.

  The two turned and walked back toward the house, leaving Farfetch'd to its training.

  , it was time to help the Slugma build its new home.

  On the way, Kelly gazed into the distance, her eyes settling on the nd across the river. She suddenly turo Naoki and said, "Have you ever thought about expanding your ranch? That way, your Pokémon would have more space to roam, and you could raise even more of them."

  Naoki was momentarily surprised. "Expand the ranch? How would I do that?"

  He followed Kelly's gaze and saw the open fields oher side of the river.

  Uanding dawned on him, and he asked excitedly, " that nd be purchased?"

  "Of course," Kelly nodded with a smile. "It might cost a fair amount, but once you buy it, the nd will be yours. It's perfect for ranchers like you who want to expand their operations."

  Naoki felt a surge of excitement.

  If he bought that nd, he could raise more Pokémon!

  He had always wao raise some Wooloo and Tropius, among others.

  But due to the limited size of his ranch, these ideas had never e to fruition.

  And now...

  Naoki's excitement was evident, but he soon calmed down as he sidered some importaails.

  "What about property rights?" Naoki asked.

  "Property rights?" Kelly looked puzzled.

  Naoki expined, "If I buy that nd, is there a time limit? Like, after 70 years, does the nd no longer belong to me?"

  "How could that be?" Kelly was a bit fused but crified, "Once you buy the nd, it's yours! The Pokémon League will issue you a nd deed aer the information online."

  "Even when you're older, you pass it on to your desdants. It will always be yours. If someories to take over your nd, you report it to the League, and they'll help you ha."

  "Perma ownership?" Naoki felt his heart skip a beat.

  "Unless you decide to sell it," Kelly ughed.

  "Where do I go to buy it?" Naoki asked eagerly.

  "That's easy—you talk to Mayor Thomas. As the mayor, he help you with the process," Kelly suggested.

  "Got it, thanks!" Naoki was ready to head straight to Mayor Thomas to incorporate the nd across the river into his ranch.

  Then he could hire a few more Diglett to help with the work and cultivate plots of nd to pnt berry trees, crops, and flowers, creating an area like the lush orchards in the nearby towns.

  In addition t, he could also raise more productive Pokémon.

  For example, Tropius.

  Tropius has fruits growing around its hat ripen twice a year. Although the fruits it produces might not be as plentiful as what it eats, it's a Pokémon! Whether it makes money or not doesn't matter—as long as it's happy at home.

  That's probably the greatest joy for a collector!

  Watg various Pokémon living on your farm, helping out, or produg goods.

  The lively, vibrant, and prosperous se made him happy just imagining it.

  He could also pnt a leek garden for Farfetch'd, raise a flock of fluffy Wooloo, collect Eevee of all types, and create an Eevee paradise with slides, swings, and seesaws for them to py on...

  And he would feel joyful just sitting there, watg the happy smiles of the Eevee.

  Kelly led the Machamps into the house to install the heating pipes.

  The job required breaking down parts of the walls and embedding the pipes io prevent acts, the power supply to the ranch was temporarily shut off.

  Without electricity, Calyrex could no longer watch TV. Left with no choice, he settled in the garden with Sinistea and Polteageist for a quiet tea session.

  Meanwhile, the rest of the Pokémon on the ranch pyed and frolicked on the grassy fields.

  Naoki, worried that Calyrex might grow bored, decided to keep him pany.

  "In a couple of years, I'll buy you a mobile phohen you'll be able to watch whatever shows you want, whenever you want!" Naoki said enthusiastically.

  Calyrex, startled by the mention of a mobile phone, used telepathy to ask, "Mobile phone? What is that?"

  Naoki, momentarily caught off guard by his owement, paused to think before replying.

  "It's a human iion—kind of like a bination of a small television and a videophone," Naoki expined. "With a mobile phone, and as long as there's i, you ect with people from all over the world. You eve to search for cartoons and watch whatever you like without being interrupted by ads."

  Naoki hoped the video software in this world wouldn't require membership. But even if it did, he resolved to buy a lifetime membership for Calyrex.

  Hearing this, Calyrex's eyes lit up with excitement. "A device like that exists?"

  Naoki nodded. "That's right! For example, if Za and Zamazenta also had mobile phones, you'd be able to video call them from here in Paldea to che on how they're doing. It's incredibly ve, don't you think?"

  Calyrex nodded, impressed by the cept. A faint blush of embarrassment crossed his face as he admitted, "I… I want a mobile phone."

  Seeing Calyrex's eagerness, Naoki chuckled softly and cleared his throat. "Ahem, well, this kind of phone hasn't been ied yet. It'll probably take awo years for it to be developed."

  Calyrex's eyes dimmed slightly with disappoi, but his spirits quickly lifted. "I've lived in this world for thousands of years. What's two more? I wait!"

  Naoki smiled warmly and promised, "Alright, then. As soon as it's avaible, I'll make sure you're the first oo have it."

  Calyrex's heart swelled with gratitude for Naoki's kindness, while Naoki himself sank into deep thought.

  There was so much to do.

  He o finalize the pn to expand the ranch, raise more Pokémon, and che the progress of Nemona's father's pany to potentially i and offer research suggestions for developing mobile phones.

  Just as his thoughts were spiraling, the grouh Naoki's feet suddenly began to shake.

  Startled, he looked down to see Dugtrio poking their heads out of the soil, chittering anxiously.

  "Hm?" Naoki crouched down to their level and asked, "What's wrong?"

  The Dugtrio squeaked in their characteristic high-pitched toheir little bodies twitg with urgency.

  Calyrex, sensing their distress, traheir words through telepathy. "They've found something strange in the underground cave," he expined.