Soon, the waiter brought out dishes oer another until the eable was filled to the brim.

  Spid fvorful mapo tofu, stir-fried pork with green peppers, golden-brown baked eggs, tender and glistening braised pork, and aromatic white radish and pork rib soup.

  Alongside these, the waiter also delivered a variety of snacks and sandwiches prepared especially for the Pokémon.

  Naoki and Iono released their Pokémon to join the feast. The table became a lively se as the Pokémon gathered around, eager to enjoy the meal.

  Pawmot and the other Pokémon, havi Iono’s team befreeted them warmly. Several Electric-type Pokémon rubbed cheeks and exged bursts of stati friendly greetings.

  Iono’s Luxray lounged on the floor with a pte of treats resembling Poffiiween its twe paws. It buried its fa the pte, mung loudly without a care.

  Nearby, G observed the Luxray with a mixture of disbelief and disapproval. Clearly, G thought, such behavior was unbeing. Elegantly, it lowered its head and began nibbling on its food with deliberate grace.

  Meanwhile, Flutter Mane floated quietly, its gaze fixed on Misdreavus. Misdreavus, sensing its stare, turo meet its eyes.

  The two Ghost-type Pokémon locked eyes, their mutual curiosity holding them in peither one looked away, as if silently assessing each other.

  Iono grinned, her chopsticks poised over a pte of mapo tofu. “Alright! Let’s dig in!” she announced enthusiastically.

  Naoki smiled, amused by her energy, and begaing as well. As he ate, he gnced around at the Pokémon, cheg to see if any of them needed help or attention. This was a habit of his—ensuring that his Pokémon were well-fed and fortable during meals.

  But instead of finding any Pokémon in need of assistance, he saw a se of perfect harmony. The Pokémon were iing joyfully, their bonds evident as they shared the food.

  Seeing this, Naoki rexed and focused on his meal.

  “This is amazing!” Iono excimed, her face lighting up as she savored the food. “So delicious!”

  Naoki chuckled softly, then asked, “Did you have any trainers challenging yym this m?”

  Iono nodded, her cheeks puffed with food like a chipmunk’s. “Yep! We had three challengers in a row this m. Misdreavus and Bellibolt are practically exhausted!”

  “That sounds tough,” Naoki replied, sympathizing with the busy lives of Gym Leaders in Paldea.

  Iono waved it off with a ugh. “It’s not so bad! Gym Leaders get breaks, you know. We’re not stu the Gym all day waiting for challehat would be way to!”

  Naoki houghtfully. He remembered that, among Paldea’s Gym Leaders, Iono wasly the stro. It wasn’t her battles that stood out—it was her charisma and fir.

  “Do you enjoy being a Gym Leader?” he asked curiously.

  “Of course!” Iono replied brightly. “It’s amazing seeing the crowd cheer during battles—it makes me so happy!”

  No wonder, Naoki thought. With Paldea’s League generous saries to Gym Leaders, it wasn’t about the money for her. Her passion for the audience’s excitement seemed genuine.

  Her love for broadcasting and live streaming robably more of a personal hobby, a way to eh people beyond battles.

  The thought gave Naoki an idea. Maybe he could start his own el iure—something like “Naoki’s Ranch Life”—to share videos of his farm and Pokémon. It could even help promote his agricultural products and berries.

  “What about you, Naoki?” Iono asked, tilting her head. “Do you like what you do?”

  Naoki blihen smiled. “I do. Life iy doesn’t suit me. The small, cramped apartments feel like pigeonholes pared to the open spad freedom of the ranch.”

  “But you have to admit, city life is ve,” he added. “Then again, with Pokémon like Koraidon oraveliween cities is pretty easy. I go anywhere in minutes.”

  Iono ughed, imagining the stark trast. “You and I are opposites, huh?”

  Naoki raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile f. “Don’t tell me you eat out every day.”

  Ioated, her grin turning sheepish. “Not every day… just sometimes. Okay, fine—a lot of the time! But I cook! I just… don’t do it often.”

  Naoki gave her a skeptical look.

  “Alright, alright!” she admitted with a ugh. “I’m not a great cook, but I mahe basics! It’s just that Misdreavus and Bellibolt don’t seem to like my cooking, so I end up eating out.”

  "Alright then!" Naoki nodded and said, "Living iy does have its veniences."

  "Really? Hehe!" Iono immediately chimed in with enthusiasm.

  Naoki couldn’t help but chuckle, and the atmosphere between them became harmonious for a while.

  After the meal, Iono quickly rushed to pay the bill before Naoki could stop her.

  Naoki sighed, feeling a bit awkward. The values instilled in him since childhood made him feel that such gestures were his responsibility, especially since he was three years older than Iono. It felt strao let someone youreat him to a meal.

  Iono noticed his expression and grinned. "It's fine! We agreed I’d treat you this time!"

  Then she added with a wink, "If you feel bad, Naoki, just make it up to me ime I visit your ranch. Treat me when I’m there!"

  Naoki looked into Iono’s bright, expet eyes and finally relented with a nod. "Alright, I’ll treat you ime for sure."

  "Hehe, deal!" Iono said, satisfied.

  After lunaoki said his goodbyes to Iono and hopped onto Koraidon. Together, they left Levincia behind.

  ...

  By mid-afternoon, Koraidon soared over Kosaji Town and nded gracefully at the ranch.

  Butterfree was the first to spot them, and soon, a rge group of Pokémon came rushing over to greet him.

  Naoki’s face lit up with a smile as he patted eaon affeately, one by one.

  Without Alcremie and G around, the ranch had felt a little subdued. Many of the Pokémon appeared to have been listless in their absence. Seeing this, Naoki quickly released all the Pokémon from their Poké Balls.

  He looked at Alcremie and G and said, "Go on, py with everyone! Without you here, Garganad the others have beey down."

  Hearing this, Alcremie turo the line of Roon standing before her. Normally upright and sturdy, they now looked pitifully dejected.

  This tugged at Alcremie's heartstrings. She immediately fluttered over to them, perg on their rocky forms and coaxing them into py.

  Naoki smiled at the sight and turned his attention to Cyclizar. He patted its head a it off to join the fun before heading to the living room with his bulging backpack of gifts.

  Calyrex was lounging on the couch, engrossed in a televisiram. Meanwhile, Indeedee approached Naoki to give a status update on the ranch’s activities over the past week.

  Naoki popped a handful of seeds into his mouth and listened as Indeedee began to rey information:

  "Ai-ye, aiee." (Nothing major happened, but some wild Pokémon actally broke a few fences by the river.)

  "Ai-ye, aiee." (Oh, and two days ago, a person named Grusha visited the ranch. She left after hearing you weren’t around.)

  "Grusha?" Naoki echoed, surprised.

  Indeedee nodded and added something else, seemingly unsure: "Ai-ye, aiee" (Grusha, Umm....a girl)

  Naoki couldn’t help but chuckle. "Oh, I see! You figured that out based on his hairstyle and appearance, didn’t you?"

  Indeedee looked puzzled, unsure whether it had made a mistake.

  Naoki grinned and crified, "Actually, Grusha’s a guy. He’s the Gym Leader of Gseado Mountain’s Gym. But don’t worry—plenty of people make that mistake!"

  Indeedee blinked, seeming both fused and a little embarrassed.

  Naoki let out a hearty ugh and reassured the Pokémon. "Don’t worry about it. Grusha’s bound to visit again soon!"

  With that settled, Naoki turned his attention to the gifts he had brought back. Unpag the items from his overstuffed backpack, he began s them for the Pokémon. Then, with a smile, he handed a pair of gsses and a blue scarf to Indeedee sibling.

  "These are for you two," he said warmly. "I hope you like them."

  The Indeedee siblings eagerly accepted the gifts, their eyes lighting up with joy.

  Seeing their delighted reas, Naoki felt a wave of satisfa. He had chosen the right gifts after all.

  Naoki carefully handed a copy of papers on Rotom mobile to the Calyrex and said, "It's all set! The information for the mobile phone has bee. I believe it won’t be long before we use one!"

  Calyrex's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I eagerly await that day!"

  "Same here!" Naoki excimed, brimming with excitement to be back at the ranch.

  "I’ll go che the fence."

  With that, Naoki headed out, crossing the creek to the far side of the ranch. He carefully examihe wooden fences along the boundary, sing for any signs of damage.

  As expected, he found several areas that were in need of repair.

  Being located in the wild, the ranch ofte with wild Pokémon that occasionally wandered in and damaged the fehis wasn’t anythio Naoki.

  Returning to the utility room, he grabbed tools and wooden pnks, rolling up his sleeves to begin repairs. By the time the st pnk was secured, the sun had already begun its dest, and it was nearing 5 PM.

  Just as he finished, Zack arrived at the ranch, right on schedule, to collect the day’s goods. Spotting Naoki, Zack looked momentarily surprised befrinning.

  "You’re back?" Zack asked.

  "Yeah, I just got in," Naoki replied with a nod.

  As Zack loaded the day’s milk aables into his truck, he remarked with admiration, "Your Pokémon are incredible! And those two Indeedees of yours have kept the pce running perfectly! Holy, I’m jealous. If they ever y eggs, let me know. I wouldn’t mind raising a butler Pokémon myself."

  Naoki gave him an annoyed look. "They’re siblings, not a couple!"

  Zack looked startled. "What?! I totally thought they were married… Oops, my bad!" He scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

  Naoki gnced over at Indeedee, who was busy watering flowers nearby, and sighed with relief. Thankfully, her of the siblings had overheard Zack's embarrassing ent.

  Zack didn’t linger long. After seg the goods, he bid Naoki farewell and drove off, leaving the ranch peaceful once more.

  But sometimes, fate has other pns.

  Just as Naoki was about to prepare dinner, a sudden, radiant light burst forth from twonites he rarahese were the hardw Dragonites who had been delivering goods and were now preparing to return tonite Isnd.

  The brilliant glow immediately caught the attention of every Pokémon nearby, and a rge crowd quickly gathered to watch.

  Naoki, thinking this might be a Mega Evolutio, rushed over in arm to check.

  When he reached the se, however, what he witnessed left him speechless.

  The light emanating from the twonites dimmed gradually—not to signal Mega Evolution, but rather te together into a single glowing orb on the grass between them.

  When the light finally faded, an egg with vibrant e-and-yellow pattered gently on the ground.

  Naoki stood frozen, stunned. "An egg?!"

  Dragonite had id an egg! Or rather, their energy had merged to create one. Naoki’s mind reeled at the implications. Could it be that Pokémon didn’t necessarily need physical coupling to produce offspring? Instead, their energies could iwio form an egg?

  "This is… unbelievable!" Naoki muttered, watg the mesmerizing se before him.

  He tried to his head around the situation. Had these twonites, who were simply colleagues delivering goods together, somehow developed romantic feelings for one another during their daily work? When had that happened?

  Naoki felt at a loss for words. These two had always seemed like close friends, nothing more. Yet here they were, weling a Pokémon egg into the world.

  One of the Dragonites gently picked up the egg.

  The Dragonite looked down at the dragon egg in its arms, then exged a gh its partogether, they turheir gazes to the egg cradled carefully in their cws.

  What now? Should they take the egg back tonite Isnd? Naoki wondered.

  But before he could voice his thoughts, one of the Dragonite walked toward him. It blis rge, expressive eyes aly deposited the egg into his arms.

  Naoki: "???"

  Staring at the egg now led in his hands, Naoki was at a loss for words. What was he supposed to do with it?

  However, the female Dragonite who had just id the egg seemed uned.

  To her, Naoki was a trustworthy human—kind and g tookémon. Leaving the egg in his care felt far safer thaurning it tonite Isnd for natural incubation. Besides, the twonite frequently visited the ranch to enjoy treats, so transp the egg bad forth would be inve.

  Instead, they figured it would be easier and more secure to let Naoki ha. That way, when the baby hatched, they could tiheir deliveries and enjoy their meals at the ranch as a family.

  Havirusted the egg to Naoki, the twonite waved their cws in farewell and took off into the sky.

  Naoki and his Pokémon stood there, stunned, staring at the freshly id egg.

  Clutg the egg, Naoki asked hesitantly, "How do I even hatch this thing?"

  Unfortunately, none of the Pokémon on the ranch had any experieh eggs, so they offered no answers.

  In desperation, Naoki called fonite, hoping it might have some insight.

  When Dragonite learhat the tw Dragonite had id an egg, it was visibly startled.

  Naoki popped a piece of transtion seed crisp into his mouth and asked, "Have you ever id an egg?"

  Dragonite shook its head vigorously. "Awoo!" (No, I ’t y eggs!)

  "Then what am I supposed to do?" Naoki asked, exasperated.

  Dragoilted its head thoughtfully, recalling ses fronite Isnd, and finally said, "Awoo!" (Just leave it on the grass a hataturally!)

  Naoki: "…"

  That sounded way too casual!

  After a moment of deliberation, Naoki carried the Dragonite egg bato the living room.

  Upon seeing the egg, sister Indeedee, tilted her head in fusion. "Ai Ai?" (What’s this?)

  Naoki sighed. "It’s a Dragonite egg. They ha to me right after ying it. I have no idea how to hatch it!"

  Indeedee smiled warmly and said, "Ai-ah~" (I uand. Leave it to my brother and me—we’ll take care of it!)

  Naoki’s eyes lit up in surprise. "Huh? You hahis?"

  Indeedee nodded fidently, her tone soft and reassuring. "Ai Ai!" (Before ing to the ranch, our parents taught my brother a only how to care for Pokémon cubs but also how to care fs. If you ever have childreake care of them too!)

  ...

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