Upon hearing this, Articuno was once again stunned.
Is Zapdos going all out?
At this moment, Articuno suddenly wanted to know what kind of human could make the naturally proud Zapdos genuinely willing to become their Pokemon.
However, Zapdos didn't say much more, as it had already achieved its purpose on this trip.
Since Articuno didn't want to go, there was no need for it to linger here.
With this thought, Articuno turned around, ready to leave to find Moltres.
Yet, just as it was about to flap its wings, Articuno suddenly called out to it.
Zapdos heard it ask, "Then, what's the price?"
Humans couldn't possibly help them without reason, could they?
Articuno looked at Zapdos in front of it, waiting for its answer.
Zapdos just shook its head, opened its beak, and said a few words: "Chirp chirp." (Your feathers.)
Articuno: "?"
*
Naoki Ranch, another new day.
This afternoon, the ranch unusually didn't encounter any wild Trainers coming for a challenge.
Naoki, with nothing to do, decided to start organizing the accumulated clutter at home.
Not only Naoki, Koraidon and the others also had some leisure time.
Pokemon like Eevees and Happiny, who were small in size, stayed home playing hide and seek, running all around playfully.
They scurried around the stairs, floor, and hall, while Indeedee, the elder brother of the family, looked helplessly at these mischievous Pokemon.
Meanwhile, Cyclizar and Ogerpon, who preferred warm environments and sunlight, leisurely relaxed on the grassland of the ranch, basking in the sun.
Koraidon was the only exception, occasionally running over to bother Naoki.
Sunshine beamed perfectly through the windows, bathing the entire study desk in light.
Naoki sat at the study desk, hauling a large box over.
From it, he took out postcards and photos printed with little bear and cat paw prints, and a small box storing various stones and glass marbles.
These were sent back by Mew and Teddiursa while traveling.
After the new year, those two Pokemon had gone to the Sinnoh Region.
In just a few months, they had visited many places and encountered numerous Pokemon.
As before, Teddiursa and Mew would ask their wild Pokemon friends to help deliver taken photos and found treasures back to the ranch.
Naoki was either busy searching for Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu or receiving visiting challengers, so he hadn't had much time to look over these.
Now that Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu had been captured and Geeta had taken all the challengers away,
Naoki, with time to spare, was ready to carefully inspect what Teddiursa and Mew had sent through the wild flying Pokemon.
There were many photos, mostly featuring Pokemon, most of which were from the Sinnoh Region.
With the encouragement and company of the Heroic Expedition Team, Piplup, who was afraid of water, overcame its fear and re-entered the water,
helping the lost Buizel find its family,
helping two Shellos in love solve their long-distance relationship troubles, allowing them to reunite across the entire Sinnoh Continent.
In addition, Naoki saw an elderly Torterra bent over from a lot of wild Pokemon living on its back.
It was much larger than the average Torterra, with a body like a beautiful garden, and lush grass and trees growing on its massive back shell.
Torterra is a very interesting Pokemon; they evolve from Turtwig, the Grass Type Starter Pokemon of the Sinnoh Region.
Once they evolve to their final stage, Torterra becomes lazy, often staying still in one place.
At such times, some small Pokemon would gather and build nests in the "forest" on its back.
Some Pokemon are even born on Torterra's back, living their entire lives there.
Naoki previously read a history book compiled by humans in the Pokemon World.
That book recorded that in the distant past, some ancient scholars had speculated that beneath the earth lay a giant Torterra, and humans were all living on its back.
The large Torterra was overwhelmed by the number of Pokemon living on its back and had no choice but to seek help from the passing Heroic Expedition Team.
Mew and Teddiursa used Naoki's construction of shelters for Pokemon on his ranch as a blueprint and ultimately helped the small Pokemon by building shelters around the Torterra using wood, twigs, and mud.
Torterra finally stood upright and was able to move normally.
Later on, Torterra became the guardian deity of the "Pokemon Village" and lived there with the other Pokemon.
"Tsk, I wonder what kind of expressions those Pokemon scholars would have if they discovered a village inhabited solely by Pokemon," Naoki couldn't help but laugh.
They would be astonished, thinking that Pokemon could also develop a civilization, becoming an unsolved mystery of the world.
Koraidon, who had quietly approached intending to startle Naoki, saw him laughing and curiously ran over.
"Aga ss?"
"Look at this Torterra..." Naoki showed a photo to Koraidon and began narrating the story within it.
As for how he knew the story, it was all thanks to Mew and Teddiursa with the help of the Rotom Phone.
However, Koraidon wasn't very interested in all of this.
"Aga ss..." Its eyes shifted to the small box beside them: "Aga ss?"
"This?" Naoki lifted the box: "These are treasures that Teddiursa brought back recently. Its trait is Pickup, and Pokemon with this trait love to pick up treasures on the road and bring them home to add to their collection."
As he spoke, Naoki opened the box.
Inside were pearls, star-shaped sand in transparent glass bottles, scales shed by wild Milotic, dragon teeth lost during battles, and more.
Naoki took out each item, while Koraidon watched curiously from the side.
"This seems to be called a Dragon's Fang?" Naoki gestured the Dragon's Fang over Koraidon's body.
If he remembered correctly, this item could enhance the power of Dragon Type moves used by Pokemon.
Koraidon didn't have any held items yet, so Naoki became interested: "Koraidon, do you want to try wearing it?"
However, Koraidon looked disdainful.
Other Dragon Type Pokemon's shed teeth? No thanks!
Naoki: "..."
All right then! It turns out Koraidon is a dragon with a cleanliness obsession.
"Okay, if you don't want to wear it, that's fine." Naoki put the Dragon's Fang away. After all, battles weren't really needed on the ranch, and Koraidon wouldn't need it now.
At that moment, Naoki suddenly discovered a smooth, bead-like stone at the bottom of the box.
"Huh?"
Looking at the stone that looked like an egg, Naoki initially thought it was a Pokemon egg, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was just a stone.
Unable to recognize it with the naked eye, Naoki had the Rotom Phone scan it and search online.
Quickly, the Rotom Phone provided an answer.
[Oval Stone: A magical stone that enables certain Pokemon to evolve. It's smooth and bead-like, and it's the favorite gift for Pokemon like Happiny. If Happiny holds it, it has the chance to evolve into Chansey.]
Hmm? What is this thing?
Naoki was immediately intrigued.
Teddiursa was amazing, bringing back exactly what he needed!
Could this also be a part of [Super Luck]?
Long live Teddiursa!
Naoki happily gave Koraidon's forehead a kiss and then stood up to head outside.
He found Happiny playing hide and seek with the Eevees on the second floor and gave the Oval Stone to it.
Sure enough, as Naoki expected, the moment Happiny saw the Oval Stone, its eyes lit up.
"Bo-ku!"
It stopped playing hide and seek, crawled out from under the bed, and ran to Naoki, gazing excitedly at the egg-like round stone.
"Bo-ku..."
Such a beautiful stone! So big, round, and white, it was exactly the treasure of its dreams!
"Do you like it?" Naoki asked with a smile.
"Bo-ku!" Happiny nodded repeatedly, then happily jumped up and hugged Naoki with its little arms.