Pokemon: A New Path

Stepping through the back door, they entered a spacious area enclosed by glass walls. It resembled the backyard of Professor Oak's laboratory in the anime, complete with a meandering river, lush grass, shady trees, a cozy cave, and a tranquil lake.

Several Pokémon roamed freely, playing in the grass or relaxing in the shade. Naoki's eyes scanned the scene, silently identifying each one: Miltank, Wooloo, Fletchling, Rolycoly, Carkol, and Vanillite. These were all Pokémon suitable for raising on a ranch.

The kind-faced old man, his back slightly hunched, led the way, introducing Naoki to the various Pokémon and animals on Happy Ranch.

"I raised these youngsters myself," he said proudly. "They're all healthy and have excellent temperaments. They're just waiting for a new home on a loving ranch."

Indeed, the playful Pokémon looked at Naoki with curiosity as he followed the old man.

Naoki's eyes were drawn to a group of Rolycoly clustered around a Carkol. "Can Nacli be raised?" he asked, surprised.

"Of course!" the old man replied with a smile. "Don't underestimate them. In ancient times, they were very important Pokémon. For people living on this land, these little ones were indispensable."

Naoki recalled Nacli's unique properties and asked, "Because they can produce salt?"

"Exactly!" the old man nodded. "Their bodies are made of precious rock salt. As they walk, their bodies wear down, leaving behind salt trails. You can collect this salt and get a valuable supply of rock salt. Don't worry, this doesn't harm them. Their bodies can regenerate new salt at will."

"When they evolve into Naclstack and Garganacl, the salt becomes even more nutritious, rich in minerals. Just sprinkle the salt from a Garganacl on an injured Pokémon, and no matter how severe the injury, it will heal!" the old man exclaimed.

"And dishes made with this salt are even more delicious, fetching a higher price than even Moomoo Milk!"

Intrigued, Naoki inquired about the price of a Nacli.

"One Naclicosts 10,000 Pokédollars," the old man replied.

Ten thousand.

It sounded steep, but Naoki quickly calculated the potential value of a Nacli. With one, he would never need to buy salt again. He could use it for his own cooking, sell the excess for a profit, and even use the salt for healing injured Pokémon. It was a worthwhile investment.

However, for Naoki, who was still financially constrained, the price was a bit too high at the moment.

He sighed inwardly, fingering the bills in his pocket. He would have to wait until his crops were harvested. Perhaps he could try his luck in the back mountains and find some rare ingredients to sell in the meantime.

But neither fishing nor foraging was a sustainable solution. In the real world, fish populations in a body of water were finite, and overfishing would deplete them unless he found new fishing spots.

A map of the surrounding area materialized in Naoki's mind. To the west of the ranch, beyond Mesagoza, lay the vast Paldean Sea, teeming with seafood. To the north, beyond the back mountains and a dense forest, was Casseroya Lake, a haven for freshwater fish.

"While I wait for the crops to grow, I could ask Koraidon to take me to these places," Naoki mused, already planning his next adventure.

If he remembered correctly, the rare Dratini could be found in Casseroya Lake. Dratini evolved into the powerful and intelligent Dragonite, a valuable asset to any ranch.

Once his ranch was thriving, he could even expand into delivery services, allowing townspeople to order fresh milk directly from him.

"Once he evolves into a Dragonair and then a Dragonite, he'll be incredibly fast. I could even have him help with deliveries!" Naoki thought aloud, a wide grin spreading across his face.

The old man continued to lead him through the ranch, showcasing various unique Pokémon.

There were the milk-producing Miltank, the fluffy Wooloo, the olive oil-yielding Smeargle, the fruit-picking Swablu, and the cream-producing Alcremie.

The Alcremie, entirely made of cream, exuded a sweet, enticing aroma that promised pure delight. Naoki couldn't help but swallow several times as he approached.

His reaction startled the Alcremie, who quickly hid behind a tree, trembling as if fearing it might be eaten.

The old man chuckled. "Don't be afraid, little one," he soothed. "This is the new rancher in town."

Reassured by the old man's words, Alcremie slowly emerged from its hiding spot.

The old man smiled and explained to Naoki, "Alcremie are very special Pokémon. There are currently 63 confirmed forms, each producing a different flavor of cream. This one here makes vanilla cream, but there's another that makes caramel cream!"

Naoki's stomach grumbled at the thought.

After completing the tour, they returned to the front desk. The old man pulled out a price list from a drawer. "Let's see what kind of animals and Pokémon you'd like to buy," he said.

Naoki scanned the list, noting the prices for each Pokémon.

Ordinary Animals: Rooster 600, Hen 800, Duck 800

Pokémon: Combee 2500, Fletchling 2500, Vanillite 2600, Swablu 3000, Wooloo 10,000, Miltank 20,000, Nacli 10,000

Feed: Chicken Feed 50/serving, Moomoo Milk 100/serving, Sweet Berries 100/serving, Salty Berries 100/serving

"How much is a serving of feed?" Naoki asked.

"About two kilograms," the old man replied. "The feed is made from berries, salt, flour, eggs, and other ingredients. One serving should last a Pokémon about half a month."

He then proceeded to explain each item in detail.

"Chicken feed is made from corn flour mixed with grains. One portion lasts about a month. Cow and sheep feed is simply dried grass. Miltank and Wooloo don't eat much, so one serving lasts them about half a month," the old man explained.

"Combee and Swablu, on the other hand, don't need you to provide food. Just give them a place to stay, and they'll find their own food. Swablu will even bring back various fruits and berries for you."

"Combee are different. They live in hives, and raising them requires a flower field on your ranch."

"Once you have a flower field, they'll collect nectar from it every day and bring it back to the hive to make honey."

Naoki nodded, absorbing the information.

"I currently have about 14,500 Pokédollars left," he said, "enough to buy ten hens and a rooster."

That had been his original plan, with the remaining money for groceries. But now, looking at the Pokémon around him, he decided to change his strategy.

He would reduce the number of hens and purchase an Alcremie and a Smoliv instead. Alcremie could produce cream, which he could use to make Grass Cake, and Smoliv could produce olive oil, saving him money on fuel.

That would leave him with 9,400 Pokédollars.

"Alright, I'll buy three hens, a rooster, four servings of chicken feed, and three servings of Sweet Berries." The remaining money would be saved for emergencies.

"So, three hens, a rooster, an Alcremie, and a Smoliv," Naoki confirmed.

The old man smiled and nodded. "Very well. I'll have someone deliver them to your ranch later today."

Naoki began to explain the ranch's location, but the old man stopped him. "No need," he said, "I know where it is."

Naoki was surprised. "Oh?"

The old man smiled wistfully. "Your grandfather and I were friends. I often visited him when he was alive. I even held you in my arms when you were a baby, though you probably don't remember."

"I see," Naoki replied, a warm feeling spreading through him.

The old man then squatted down and rummaged under the counter, emerging with a clear glass jar.

He handed the glass jar to Naoki. "This is rock salt produced by a Garganacl. Take it back and try it!"

Naoki examined the jar, filled with fine pink salt.

Pure Rock Salt: A top-quality seasoning produced from the fingertips of a Garganacl. Contains rich minerals and trace elements, with the magical ability to heal wounds.

Garganacl sprinkle it on injured Pokémon, and in just a moment, their injuries will be healed.

Therefore, many Pokémon gather around Garganacl to lick its mineral-rich salt.

This precious seasoning is very expensive. When added to food, it grants the dish the additional effect of "Physical Recovery."

"This... is too expensive," Naoki protested.

The old man waved his hand dismissively. "Think of it as a gift to celebrate the ranch's reopening. Your grandfather and I were close friends. It's my duty to look after you in his absence."

The old man's insistence left Naoki with no choice but to accept the generous gift. He thanked the old man sincerely.

"Naoki, was it? Your grandfather would be proud to see the ranch restored to its former glory. Keep up the good work! And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."

Naoki nodded, then bid the old man farewell and rode Koraidon back to the ranch.

A short while later, a sixteen-year-old girl with round cheeks, pigtails, freckles, and large, bright eyes arrived at the ranch on a tricycle laden with goods.

She looked at Naoki, who was waiting for her, and asked timidly, "Are you the new rancher that Grandpa mentioned, Mr. Naoki?"

Naoki nodded. "That's me."

The girl, visibly relieved, parked the tricycle on the grass and clapped her hands. Two small, adorable Pokémon emerged from a box on the back.

The one on the left was a light pink Pokémon covered in sweet cream, with two strawberry-like appendages on its head—an Alcremie.

The one on the right resembled an olive, with light green skin, a few leaves sprouting from its head, and a yellow fruit growing in the center—a Smoliv.

The two Pokémon timidly peeked out from behind the girl, their eyes wide with apprehension.

"Don't worry," the girl reassured them. "Mr. Naoki is a kind person. He'll take good care of you."

"Alcre... mie..."

"Smo... liv..."

The two little creatures remained hesitant. However, their fear seemed to be directed not at Naoki, but at the large, crimson Pokémon looming beside him—Koraidon, with its intimidating appearance.

The girl was at a loss. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Naoki," she apologized.

Naoki, following their gaze, understood their apprehension. He cleared his throat and decided to give Koraidon a task. "Koraidon," he said, patting its head, "go see where Cyclizar has wandered off to, and bring it back to meet its new friends."

Cyclizar was happily chasing butterflies in the fields, a fact Naoki was well aware of. But he needed to remove Koraidon from the scene for the time being.

"Koraidon!" Koraidon obediently turned and loped off to find Cyclizar.

With the intimidating Pokémon gone, Alcremie and Smoliv visibly relaxed.

"Smoliv..."

"Alcremie..."

The girl, realizing the source of their fear, encouraged them, "Go on now."

Alcremie and Smoliv cautiously approached Naoki. To avoid overwhelming them, Naoki squatted down, gently stroking their heads. "Welcome to Naoki Ranch, Smoliv and Alcremie," he said with a warm smile.

The Pokémon, sensing his kindness, responded with happy expressions.

The girl stepped forward. "I'll leave them in your care, Mr. Naoki. Please take good care of them."

Naoki nodded. "I will."

"Oh, and Mr. Naoki," the girl added, "my grandfather asked me to tell you that the oil Smoliv produces before evolving into Dolliv is very bitter and not suitable for consumption. It only becomes delicious after evolving."

"This Smoliv has been with us for almost a year, so it should be close to evolving."

Naoki was surprised but nodded in understanding.

The girl, relieved, unloaded several boxes of feed from the tricycle and then lowered a cage containing three hens and a rooster.

"Where is the chicken coop?" she asked.

Naoki, after placing Alcremie and Smoliv inside the house to acclimate, stepped forward to lift the cage. "Let me take that."

"Oh, thank you!" the girl said gratefully, picking up a box of feed and following him.

Once they reached the chicken coop, Naoki opened the cage, and the hens eagerly rushed out. They explored their new home, pecking at the ground and familiarizing themselves with their surroundings.

The girl placed the feed box on the ground. Naoki opened it and poured the contents into the silo, which could be accessed directly from inside the house. It was a convenient setup for feeding the chickens.