Pokemon: A New Path

"Lucky pudding?" Naoki murmured, surprised by the unexpected effect of the dessert he had just made.

The first thought that crossed his mind was about the Pokémon with the [Pickup] ability. If they combined their natural talent with the effects of this pudding, who knows what magical results could occur?

As he pondered this, the image of Teddiursa popped into Naoki's mind. According to Butterfree, the honey had been successfully delivered to Teddiursa, along with the message he had intended to convey. However, several hours had passed, and Teddiursa had yet to show up at the ranch, leaving Naoki uncertain about its reaction.

Naoki knew that stealing was wrong, even for a Pokémon like Teddiursa. The reason he suggested trading something for honey was to encourage it to change its behavior—to earn its honey through barter rather than theft. If Teddiursa could understand this, with its adorable demeanor, the ranchers would likely be more than happy to share their honey without much effort.

Most Pokémon have personalities akin to children—playful and mischievous, but capable of change when guided by the right experiences or lessons. Even Pokémon with a naturally mischievous or "evil" nature could soften and become more obedient after forming a bond with a human.

Reflecting on this, Naoki couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret that he and Teddiursa might not get to share such a bond. He had grown fond of the little bear Pokémon.

But before he could dwell on it any longer, Naoki was pulled back to reality by the excited voice of his Alcremie. He looked down to see the Pokémon eagerly awaiting its share of the pudding. Smiling, he handed a portion to Alcremie, then proceeded to share the dessert with the other Pokémon one by one.

Naoki decided to try a pudding himself. The first bite was delightfully cold, followed by the sweet taste of honey blending perfectly with the rich flavor of Moo Moo Milk and a hint of caramel.

"You know what? This tastes pretty good," Naoki thought, satisfied with the result.

However, the supposed effect of the pudding—improving the eater's luck for a short time—seemed a bit elusive to him. He focused, trying to sense any difference in his body, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The scenery around him looked just as it had before.

The Pokémon, led by Alcremie, seemed to be enjoying the pudding, their faces lighting up with happiness. But what did "good luck" actually look like?

Naoki mused over the possibilities—perhaps finding money while walking, encountering a rare Pokémon, discovering a hidden treasure, or having an unexpectedly good fishing trip.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Naoki decided to step outside. The moment he opened the door, he noticed a round object lying on the ground in front of him.

It was a stone. Naoki picked it up, surprised, and examined it for a moment before recognizing it.

'The Everstone,' he thought.

'Is this the effect of the pudding? That's incredible,' Naoki couldn't help but wonder.

Just then, he noticed a sneaky figure not far away. His eyes shifted from the Everstone in his hand to the figure, and an idea struck him. He immediately called out loudly, "Teddiursa!"

The Teddiursa, who had been hiding in the corner and peeking over, was startled and almost jumped in surprise.

Naoki smiled and beckoned, "Come here!"

Teddiursa hesitated for a moment, then cautiously approached.

Holding the Everstone, Naoki looked at Teddiursa standing on the lawn and raised an eyebrow. "Did you leave this here?"

Teddiursa nodded repeatedly, letting out a nervous, "Urs-ursa!"

"Why did you think of giving me this stone?"

Teddiursa looked conflicted, shifting nervously as if unsure how to respond.

Seeing this, Naoki understood. 'Does it want to trade this for honey?' he thought. He voiced his assumption, "Do you want to exchange it with me for honey?"

At that moment, Dragonite and the other Pokémon, who had finished eating their pudding, happily ran out of the house. Teddiursa, seeing them, felt a pang of fear, remembering how they had caught it trying to steal honey earlier. It gulped nervously but nodded honestly, "Urs-ursa."

'Is this really possible?' Teddiursa wondered.

Naoki smiled and responded without hesitation, "Wait right here!"

He hurried back into his room, retrieved a small jar of honey from the cupboard, and just as he was about to head back out, he remembered the lucky pudding. 'Let's see what happens when a Pokémon with the Pickup ability eats this lucky pudding,' he thought, grabbing one to take with him.

When Naoki handed the honey to Teddiursa, the little Pokémon's face lit up with surprise and delight.

"Urs-ursa!" Teddiursa chirped, amazed that it had gotten honey this way.

Naoki watched its reaction and gently encouraged, "See? Isn't it easier and safer to trade with humans for honey? No need to worry about getting caught or attacked."

Teddiursa considered this carefully and realized it made sense.

Seeing its thoughtful expression, Naoki handed over the lucky pudding. "This is an extra gift for you. I hope you'll stop stealing honey from others in the future."

Teddiursa accepted the pudding, its eyes wide with surprise and gratitude and it couldn't help but look a bit ashamed.

"Urs-ursa," it mumbled softly.

Naoki smiled reassuringly and said, "Go ahead, eat it! I made this with honey, so it should be just to your liking."

Teddiursa could already smell the sweet aroma wafting from the plate. Holding it in its small paws, it stared at the brown pudding, unable to resist swallowing its saliva. After hearing Naoki's encouragement, it eagerly dug in.

As soon as the pudding hit its tongue, a unique fragrance filled its mouth—cool, bouncy, smooth, and utterly delicious.

"Urs-ursa!" Teddiursa's eyes lit up with delight.

It had never tasted anything so good before!

'What should I do? I want another piece.' Teddiursa thought longingly.

But Naoki, noticing its expression, spread his hands helplessly. "That was the last one, I'm afraid. There's no more left."

"Urs-ursa." Teddiursa's face fell with disappointment, and even the honey in its paw seemed less appealing.

Just then, Naoki added, "But maybe there will be more pudding next time you visit."

Today had been his first attempt at making pudding, and regardless of how it tasted, the effect alone was enough to convince him to make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator. That way, he could have a piece each morning before heading out to improve his luck for the day—perhaps leading to some unexpected good fortune.

"Urs-ursa! Urs-ursa!" Teddiursa nodded enthusiastically, its eyes filled with anticipation.

'I'll definitely come back!' Teddiursa thought to itself.

With that, Teddiursa didn't linger at the ranch. Instead, it dashed off towards the back mountain, carrying the honey it had traded for the small stone.

Naoki watched as Teddiursa disappeared into the distance. He had a strong feeling that the little Pokémon would return to trade with him again.

'How interesting,' Naoki mused, looking down at the Everstone in his hand. 'Did I get lucky after eating the lucky pudding and encounter Teddiursa, or did it come here intentionally to trade the stone for honey?'

The thought made him smile, realizing that this exchange could be the start of something special.