Pokemon: A New Path

Naoki looked at the school of Wishiwashi that had been leading him through the seabed.

The eyes of the tiny Wishiwashi shimmered with moisture, giving them an endearing, pitiful look. Their naturally weak appearance only enhanced their charm, making them irresistibly cute.

Reaching into his pocket, Naoki pulled out the last bottle of Moomoo Milk, twisted off the cap, and poured the creamy liquid into the surrounding water.

The Wishiwashi lit up with delight, eagerly darting forward to drink the milk, their tails wagging in excitement as they swirled around the milky cloud.

Watching the adorable scene unfold, Naoki's heart warmed, and a thought struck him. "Wishiwashi," he began with a smile, "would you like to come back with me and live in my home?"

The school of Wishiwashi paused their feasting to glance at Naoki, their tiny bodies forming a wavering circle in the water.

"In my territory, no Pokémon will harm you. I'll teach you how to grow seaweed in the seabed so you'll always have plenty to eat. You'll never have to go hungry again."

The Wishiwashi exchanged looks, their tiny eyes sparkling with trust and curiosity. After a moment, they wiggled their fins in agreement, their delighted chirps carrying through the water.

Grinning, Naoki pulled out a Poké Ball, gently tapping it to one of the Wishiwashi. The tiny Pokémon disappeared into the ball with a soft flash, signaling a successful capture. But as he glanced around, Naoki realized the sheer number of Wishiwashi was staggering—there were easily over a hundred of them, far more than he had Poké Balls for.

Scratching his head in thought, Naoki addressed the school. "Wait here for a moment. I'll figure something out."

He swam to the surface, where Koraidon was splashing idly in the shallows. The sound of water breaking caught the Pokémon's attention, and it turned, paddling quickly toward Naoki.

"Raao?" Koraidon greeted him curiously, tilting its head.

Naoki reached out and patted its head. Pulling out his Rotom Phone, Naoki dialed the Calyrex's number. After explaining his plan to the psychic Pokémon, he waited as the Calyrex used its teleportation powers to arrive at the beach in an instant.

"Thank you for coming so quickly!" Naoki said, nodding respectfully. "Could you help me transport these Wishiwashi to Dragonite Island? It would be the perfect new home for them."

Without a word, Calyrex nodded and activated its superpowers. In a flash of shimmering light, Naoki, Koraidon, Slowking, and the entire school of Wishiwashi found themselves transported to Dragonite Island.

The Dragonites lounging on the beach blinked in confusion at their sudden arrival. They quickly relaxed upon recognizing Naoki, greeting him warmly.

"Hey, everyone!" Naoki waved with a grin before turning to the nearby sea.

Calyrex released the school of Wishiwashi into the water, watching as they darted through the waves, chirping happily.

Jumping into the shallow waters, Naoki addressed the school. "From now on, this is your home. There's no danger here, so you can live freely and without worry!"

The school of Wishiwashi surveyed the surroundings, their small eyes darting around the serene, crystal-clear waters. They saw no predators lurking, confirming what Naoki had told them—this was indeed a safe haven.

With the absence of danger, the school of Wishiwashi noticed the abundance of lush water plants and seaweed growing on the seabed. The verdant expanse was a feast for their eyes, brimming with sustenance.

Is this paradise? The tiny Pokémon seemed to think so, their expressions lighting up with joy.

"For now, feel free to explore," Naoki said with a chuckle. "I still have some work to do, but I'll be back later to teach you how to cultivate seaweed and create an underwater farm."

The school of Wishiwashi chirped in agreement, nodding eagerly. They quickly organized themselves into a group, swimming off to explore the unfamiliar yet welcoming waters.

Before leaving, Naoki turned to the Dragonite resting on the island's sandy shores and gave them a firm instruction. "Be kind to our new friends. No hunting or scaring them, okay?"

The Dragonites, who already had a bounty of fish and berries to feast on, nodded their understanding.

"We've got more than enough to eat," their soft, playful roars seemed to convey.

"I trust you all," Naoki said with a smile, patting the heads of the nearest Dragonites.

The Wishiwashi would maintain the seaweed, ensuring it thrived. As they had small appetites, they wouldn't deplete the supply. Any surplus algae would serve as food for common fish, and in turn, the Dragonites could enjoy the delicious fish. It was a perfectly balanced ecosystem Naoki was envisioning.

With his task on Dragonite Island complete, Naoki took Slowking and a few other Pokémon aboard the World Tree Elevator. They ascended through the massive, ancient tree.

Throughout the journey, Slowking's wise gaze wandered, as if lost in deep thought. It wasn't until they arrived at the tranquil lake near the top of the tree that Slowking finally focused.

Naoki pulled out a handful of Translation Seed Crisps and munched on them. "Alright, Slowking, can you understand me now?" he asked, his voice hopeful.

Slowking turned its gaze toward him and nodded. "I can. Hello, Naoki."

It worked! Naoki let out a relieved breath, his shoulders relaxing.

"Great! Now, can you explain something?" he continued. "Earlier, neither I nor the other Pokémon could understand what you were saying. Can you speak human language? Or even standard Pokémon language?"

Slowking tilted its Shellder-crowned head thoughtfully. "I don't know human language," it admitted. "I can speak Pokémon language, but the language you heard earlier was one I created myself."

Naoki blinked. "You… made your own language?"

Slowking gave a slow, sage-like nod.

Naoki sighed with amused disbelief. 'Of course. Why wouldn't a Pokémon with such a high IQ invent its own language right after evolving?'

He took another calming breath. "You should already know where you are, right?"

Slowking looked around, its serene eyes taking in the lush surroundings of the World Tree's interior. Finally, its gaze rested on the towering canopy above. "If I'm not mistaken," it began, "this is inside a colossal tree."

"That's correct," Naoki said, nodding. "This is the World Tree—a place brimming with natural energy. I plan to establish a guild here, a place where Pokémon can live peacefully and contribute to an ecosystem built on harmony."

Slowking listened attentively, its calm demeanor never faltering.

Naoki smiled. "I invited you here because I believe you'd be a perfect fit to help manage the store I plan to open as part of the guild. What do you think?"

Naoki smiled patiently. "It should be easy for you, Slowking, with your high IQ, to open a shop or even cook like humans."

Slowking, however, looked troubled. "I'm sorry, but I don't know how to run a store... I'm just a Slowking."

Naoki: "…"

It seemed Slowking wasn't interested in running a shop. This unexpected reaction made Naoki reconsider.

He sighed and gave up on the idea of having Slowking manage a tavern. "That's fine. You can stay here at the World Tree and take it easy."

Naoki realized he'd need to task his expedition team with finding an Oranguru or another Pokémon passionate about cooking and managing a shop.

Slowking looked apologetic. "This is quite troubling... I feel bad for disappointing you."

"It's no big deal," Naoki reassured it warmly. "Don't overthink it. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. Just having you here makes me happy."

For Naoki, watching Pokémon live peacefully and play freely on his farm and the World Tree was joy enough, even if they didn't take on specific roles.

"Thank you, Naoki," Slowking said gratefully. "Please give me some time to think. There are mysteries in my mind that I haven't unraveled yet, and they weigh heavily on me. I want to explore ways to resolve them."

Naoki's curiosity was piqued. "Mysteries? What mysteries are troubling you?"

Slowking gazed upward thoughtfully and answered, "Why is the sky blue? Why was this planet born? What is the meaning of our existence? Why can't the past be changed? Who am I? Where am I? What should I do?"

Naoki: "…"

Slowking repeated, this time more distressed, "These questions are truly vexing!"

Naoki decided not to delve into such existential matters. "Those are profound questions, Slowking. I'm afraid they're beyond my understanding. I'm just a simple person, not a philosopher."

Leaving Slowking to its contemplations by the lake, Naoki bid it farewell. The Pokémon remained motionless, staring at the sky and pondering the mysteries of life.

Before long, other Pokémon—like Tropius, Milotic, Dragonite, and Arboliva—noticed Slowking's strange behavior. They gathered around, curious about what it was doing.

Treecko, looking puzzled, chirped, "Treee?" (What's it doing?)

Tropius shook its head. "Tropii…" (No idea.)

After some time, the group dispersed, returning to their usual activities, while Slowking climbed onto a large rock, sat cross-legged, and resumed its deep thoughts.

Sometime later, three Treecko passed by the rock carrying berries wrapped in leaves. One Treecko examined its bundle and sighed, "Treec…" (It's a shame—these berries have rotted from being left too long. What a waste. I wish we had a way to preserve them.)

The Treecko didn't notice Slowking sitting above them as they rested against the rock.

The problem stemmed from the orchard's abundance. The three Treeckos originally planned to send more berries to the Dragonites. However, Naoki, concerned about the Pokémon not having enough food, had planted extensive groves on Dragonite Island.

Thus, the excess fruits were stored in the tree holes, but the fruits at the bottom had already begun to rot.

The Treecko were deeply troubled by the wasted berries.

Suddenly, a calm voice broke the silence from behind them.

"If you're worried about the berries going bad, you can dry them in the sun to make dried fruit, ferment them into juice or fruit wine, or even turn them into berry candy. That way, the berries can be stored for much longer without spoiling."

Startled, the three Treeckos jumped up and spun around. There, sitting cross-legged on a large rock was Slowking, looking serene and wise.

The Treecko stared, wide-eyed. "Treec?!" (Is that true?! But how does Slowking know all this?)

As if reading their thoughts, Slowking smiled faintly and explained, "I just figured it out."

The Treecko were awestruck. They exchanged amazed glances, their disbelief giving way to admiration.

One of them, clearly the most concerned about the fruit, stepped forward and asked eagerly, "Treec?" (How do we make dried fruit, juice, wine, or candy from the berries?)

Slowking gazed upward, as though pondering the mysteries of the world. "The sun. With sufficient sunlight, the fruits can be dried into dried fruit," it explained sagely.

The Treecko followed Slowking's gaze, but all they saw was the strange sky above the World Tree—there was no sun here, only scattered floating islands casting fragmented shadows.

Determined to test Slowking's suggestion, the Treecko rushed off to find Arboliva, hoping it could help.

Arboliva listened to their plan, thought for a moment, and led the Treecko to a nearby Sunflowers, whose petals glowed with radiant sunlight.

"Arboliva." (This should work.)

The Treecko carefully laid the berries near the Sunflower, watching as its warmth began to dry the fruit. They worked diligently, inspired by Slowking's wisdom.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, it was nearly noon.

Naoki, humming a cheerful tune, headed into the kitchen to prepare lunch. As he passed through the barnyard, he noticed Cyclizar lying on the ground, looking uncharacteristically downcast.

"Cyclizar?" Naoki called out, concerned.

The Pokémon lifted its head slightly to look at him, then lowered it again with a soft groan.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Naoki approached, kneeling beside Cyclizar. He reached out to touch its forehead, but it didn't seem to be physically ill.

"Gaaao..." Cyclizar sighed and lay back down, its body slumped in visible dejection.

From a distance, Koraidon watched the scene quietly, its piercing eyes understanding Cyclizar's feelings. Yet, it made no move to interfere, leaving Naoki to console his companion.

"Strange... You're not sick," Naoki murmured, puzzled.

Cyclizar shook its head weakly. It wasn't a matter of illness—it was the weight of its own emotions.

Naoki frowned, then softened his tone. "Can you tell me what's been bothering you?"

"Gaaao..." Cyclizar shook its head again, unwilling or unable to share. It felt useless, no longer able to contribute meaningfully to the ranch or to Naoki.

Memories of the past began to surface in Cyclizar's mind. It remembered the day Naoki first arrived at the ranch, just a boy sent to live there after losing his family.

The town's mayor, Thomas, had approached Cyclizar before Naoki's arrival. "Little Cyclizar," Thomas had said gently, "the ranch will soon have a new owner. He's a lonely child, having lost his parents and grandfather. He has no one left. Please, accompany him and bring some light to his life."

When Cyclizar heard those words, it couldn't help but feel pity for the human boy.

The kind-hearted Pokémon agreed without hesitation. It wanted to go to the ranch, to accompany Naoki, and become his most capable assistant.

At first, things were fine, but then Koraidon arrived. Back then, Cyclizar didn't think much of it—aside from feeling a little intimidated by the formidable Pokémon.@@novelbin@@

Initially, Koraidon seemed hostile toward Cyclizar, as if it disliked the idea of sharing Naoki's attention. Naoki worked hard to reconcile the two Pokémon, and over time, Koraidon became less aggressive and even started to accept Cyclizar.

Eventually, Koraidon went a step further, taking the initiative to teach Cyclizar some new moves.

But with Koraidon around, Naoki began to need Cyclizar's help less and less.

Koraidon was so capable.

It could fly, run at incredible speeds, and even swim across deep waters.

Not only that, but Koraidon was also adept at farm work—digging holes to plant berry trees, harvesting crops, and assisting with other chores on the ranch.

By comparison, Cyclizar felt clumsy and inadequate.

It couldn't run as fast, couldn't fly, and certainly couldn't swim.

Sometimes, Cyclizar found itself envying Koraidon. It admired Koraidon's strength and versatility, wishing it could be just as capable and helpful to Naoki.

Initially, Cyclizar resolved to train harder, to become stronger, and prove its worth. But over time, those feelings were overshadowed by self-doubt. No matter how hard it tried, Koraidon's presence made it feel irrelevant.

What was the point of its efforts when Koraidon was always by Naoki's side? Naoki didn't seem to need its protection anymore—or even its presence.

These conflicting emotions—its affection for Naoki and its feelings of inadequacy—twisted together, weighing heavily on Cyclizar's heart.

Eventually, the emotional burden became too much. Cyclizar fell ill.

This made Naoki deeply anxious.

Cyclizar became listless, lying near the fireplace from morning till night without moving. It no longer trained or responded to Naoki's questions.

At first, Naoki tried feeding Cyclizar some Life Goat Milk, but it showed no improvement.

Desperate, Naoki sought help from Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests. But even Calyrex, with its vast knowledge, could only shake its head and say there was nothing it could do.

Naoki's worry grew, and several of Cyclizar's friends on the ranch—Alcremie, Glaceon, Ogerpon, Pawmot, and Dragonite tried to comfort it. But no matter what they did, nothing seemed to help.

Even Naoki's Dragon Powers couldn't penetrate the wall Cyclizar had built around its heart.

Cyclizar had shut itself off from everyone.

Determined to find answers, Naoki brought Cyclizar to the town's Pokémon Center for a thorough examination.

When Nurse Joy emerged from the treatment room, her expression was serious.

Naoki's heart sank.

Nurse Joy handed him the results and explained, "Cyclizar is in poor mental health, and it's starting to affect its physical condition. Has it been refusing to eat lately?"

Naoki nodded. Cyclizar hadn't touched the food he'd prepared for days.

Nurse Joy continued, "There's no physical ailment. What we're seeing here is a deep emotional issue—a 'knot' in Cyclizar's heart. It seems trapped in its thoughts and unable to move past them."

A knot in its heart? Naoki was stunned. He racked his brain, trying to recall anything that might have caused Cyclizar pain. He had always tried his best to care for every Pokémon on the ranch, making sure none of them felt neglected.

Nurse Joy regarded him with a kind but serious expression. "Mr. Naoki, Cyclizar cares about you deeply. But it's also distancing itself from you. Whatever is troubling it, I believe it's tied to its feelings for you."

Naoki felt a heavy weight settle over him.

What could have happened to make Cyclizar feel this way?

After returning to the ranch, Naoki was called away by Pawmot's parents. Two roosters had gotten into a fight and fallen into the river.

Naoki sighed, turning to Cyclizar. "Wait here for a while. I'll be back soon, and then I'll make you something nice to eat."

Cyclizar lay on the grass, eyes half-closed, still as dejected as ever.

It watched Naoki leave with Pawmot's parents to deal with the roosters, then shut its eyes again.

But before it could drift off completely, a shadow loomed over it.

Cyclizar caught a familiar scent and cracked its eyes open.

Against the sunlight stood Koraidon, its imposing figure casting a long shadow over Cyclizar.