Pokemon: A New Path

Naoki stared at the seeds in his palm, still surprised by the unexpected gift.

"Raao?"

Koraidon, standing beside him, tilted its head in curiosity.

Naoki glanced at Koraidon before carefully tucking the seeds away. "Well, there's only one way to find out—let's plant them."

With nothing pressing at the moment, Naoki grabbed a shovel and found a good spot in the pasture. He dug a small hole, carefully placed the seeds inside, and covered them with soil.

Once that was done, he called for Calyrex to come over.

Calmly, Calyrex lifted a hand, and a soft blue glow radiated from the soil. The energy pulsed, seeping into the ground like shimmering water.

Then, something miraculous happened.

The soil cracked ever so slightly, and from within, a tiny sapling sprouted. It grew at a visible speed, its trunk thickening, its branches stretching outward, until it became a towering five-meter tree with strong, sturdy bark.

At first glance, it looked no different from any ordinary tree. But as Naoki stepped closer, he noticed something strange. Embedded within the trunk was a perfectly round hole, just large enough for a small Pokémon to enter.

It was as if the opening had been naturally carved out, its walls and floor smoothly polished, not rough like he had expected. Naoki narrowed his eyes, sensing something special about this tree.

At that moment, information about the tree appeared in his mind.

[Nurturing Tree House]

Type: Special Crop

Description: A unique tree that simulates a natural incubation environment.

If a Pokémon Egg is placed inside, the Nurturing Tree House will absorb nutrients from the earth and sky, ensuring safe and accelerated hatching. Pokémon hatched within the tree will be healthier, stronger, and their natural potential will be greatly enhanced. Increases talent growth and learning aptitude of newly hatched Pokémon. 

Naoki froze.

"A Nurturing Tree House…" he murmured, reading the description again.

This was no ordinary tree.

This was a living, self-sustaining incubator—a natural hatching chamber that not only nurtured Pokémon Eggs but enhanced the abilities of any Pokémon born inside.

"This is insane!"

If this existed in the games, it would mean every Pokémon born here would have perfect stats! Higher comprehension meant they could learn new moves faster.

Higher innate talent meant they could reach incredible heights in strength.

This was a breeding dream come true.

Naoki couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

"If only this had been here sooner…" he sighed.

If this tree had existed earlier, he could have placed all those Eevee and Dragonite eggs inside and raised them to their absolute peak potential.

But… it wasn't too late.

There were plenty of Pokémon at the ranch and even more on the World Tree. Sooner or later, new life would be born. When that happened, this tree would become an invaluable treasure.

Eager to see the tree in action, Naoki turned towards Koraidon.

But there was a problem—Paradox Pokémon, at least in the games, couldn't breed.

Naoki glanced at Koraidon, who was staring back at him, confused by the intense gaze.

"Raao?" (What?)

Naoki chuckled. "Never mind."

Instead, he turned his gaze across the ranch, searching for his Dragonite.

Naoki remembered something important—his Dragonite had once fallen in love with a fellow Dragonite from the Island.

That Dragonite also joined the other Dragonites in living on the World Tree.

If they were still in contact...

Naoki couldn't help but be curious.

What would happen if a Champion-level Dragonite that had eaten Storm Buns—enhancing its strength to legendary levels—had an egg, and that egg was hatched inside the Nurturing Tree House?

What kind of insane potential would the offspring have? With this thought in mind, Naoki scanned the ranch.

Sure enough, he spotted Dragonite carefully packing Poffins and Poke Blocks into a bag under Rotom's guidance.

Naoki smiled and walked over.

The moment Dragonite saw him, it perked up, waving excitedly.

"Awoo~!"

"How have you been feeling lately?" Naoki asked.

These days, Dragonite would occasionally visit the Dragonite Island at the World Tree to see its old companions. Traveling from the ranch to Dragonite Island took only three minutes, making it incredibly convenient.

"Awoo!"

Dragonite let out a cheerful cry, clearly in good spirits. However, after a moment, it tilted its head and looked at Naoki with confusion, as if wondering why he was asking such a question.

"Awoo?"

"Ahem."

Naoki cleared his throat and leaned in slightly. "I remember that Dragonite you liked before is also on Dragonite Island now, right? You've been going there pretty often lately. Are you going to see her?"

"Awoo!" Dragonite quickly shook its head.

It wasn't going to Dragonite Island for that reason at all!

It had simply been bringing fruits and Poffins to the Dratini and Dragonairs living there.

Having once been raised by the elder Dragonite of the island, it felt a sense of responsibility now that it had more time and more treats than it could eat. It wanted to take care of the younger dragons in return.

Every time it arrived, the little Dratini and Dragonairs would swarm around it, eagerly listening to stories of the outside world.

Dragonite would excitedly recount its life on the ranch, its adventures delivering supplies, and the places it had visited.

After hearing these tales, the young dragons had started declaring that when they grew up, they wanted to leave the island and become delivery Pokémon too.

Naoki: "…"

'Oh no.'

It looked like the Dratini and Dragonair of Dragonite Island were about to be corrupted by Dragonite's influence.

"Awo?" Dragonite blinked in confusion.

Naoki sighed and shook his head. "So that's what you've been up to! I thought you were visiting that other Dragonite."

Dragonite let out a small, exasperated huff.

"It's alright, go on with your work!"

He could tell that his Dragonite no longer had any romantic interest in its old crush. In that case, there was no need to force the issue.

Ultimately, it was Dragonite's choice.

With that thought, Naoki reached out and patted Dragonite's head.

Dragonite responded with an affectionate hug before returning to its task—carefully packing the Poffins and Poke Blocks into its bag.

Watching it work, Naoki asked, "Are you heading to Dragonite Island again?"

Dragonite nodded enthusiastically. "Awoo!"

It had promised to bring delicious Poffins for the Dratini and Dragonairs living there.

Naoki thought for a moment, then turned his gaze toward a lone Dratini that was basking in the sun on the ranch. After a moment of consideration, he picked up the little dragon and handed it to Dragonite.

"Take this Dratini to Dragonite Island for a little while," Naoki said.

There was currently only one Dratini at the ranch, and compared to staying here, Dragonite Island was a much better environment for it to grow.

There, it would have plenty of fellow Dratini and Dragonair to play with, and the elder Dragonite would be around to take care of them.

Dragonite looked at the small Dratini in its arms and readily agreed.

"Awoo~"

However, the young Dratini's big, round eyes suddenly filled with panic. Its tiny body trembled slightly, and a thin layer of tears welled up in its eyes.

"Woo?" It let out a soft cry.

Was… Was Naoki sending it away?

Seeing its reaction, Naoki was momentarily taken aback.

With his ability to communicate with Dragon-types, he quickly sensed the Dratini's thoughts.

Naoki shook his head helplessly and reassured it, "No, I'm not sending you away. I just want you to go to the World Tree and play for a while. There are many other Dratini there, just like you."

Dratini blinked in surprise.

"Woo" "Can I… come back?" it asked nervously.

Naoki smiled and nodded. "Of course. When Dragonite returns, you can come back with it."

Hearing that, Dratini finally relaxed, its tiny body settling down.

"Alright then! Have fun!" Naoki waved at them.

With that, Dragonite happily took off, carrying Dratini safely in its arms.

They soared over the lake, passed through the gateway to the Reverse World, and made their way toward the World Tree.

Upon arriving, they took the World Tree's natural elevator system and descended into the area where Dragonite Island was located.

With Dratini still nestled in its grasp, Dragonite finally arrived at the familiar lake in the heart of the island.

A bright smile spread across its face as it cheerfully greeted its companions.

"Awoo!"

As soon as Dragonite landed, the Dratini and Dragonairs in the lake eagerly swam over to greet it.

Dragonite reached into its bag and pulled out Poffins and Poke Blocks generously sharing them with the young dragons.

Seeing the delicious treats, the Dratini and Dragonairs cheered happily, their tails flicking in excitement.

Nearby, the Shiny Dratini hesitated, curiously observing the unfamiliar group of Dratini in the lake. Noticing this, Dragonite gently placed the Shiny Dratini into the water and introduced it to the others.

"Awoo!" (This is our new friend!)

The gathered Dratini and Dragonairs turned their eyes to the newcomer.

"Woo?"

"Awoo."

"Woo~"

"Awo~"

After a brief moment, their expressions brightened with welcoming smiles. They eagerly invited the Shiny Dratini to share some Poffins with them.

After their meal, they planned to head out to the sea together to practice catching fish!

Seeing the warmth and friendliness of the other Pokémon, the Shiny Dratini felt a wave of relief.

It looked at its new companions, blinked once, and then happily agreed.

"Woo!"

At that moment, several Dragonite caught the scent of the Poffins and Poke Blocks.

Their eyes widened, and they turned to stare at Dragonite's bag, filled with the enticing treats. Dragonite immediately noticed their stares and instinctively clutched its bag tightly.

"Awoo!" (If you want to eat, you have to work for it!)

The wild Dragonites blinked in surprise. This wasn't the first time they had heard the word work.

They had heard it many times before from their fellow Dragonites—the ones that left the island every morning and returned only in the evening.

Those Dragonites always came back carrying large boxes of delicious Poffins, sometimes sharing a few pieces with the others.

The Poffins had been so delicious that the wild Dragonite had never forgotten their taste.

And so, every afternoon, they would patiently wait on Dragonite Island, hoping to snag a few leftovers from their working companions.

At first, the working Dragonites had been generous and shared their spoils.

But as time passed, they had stopped offering, saying:

"We worked hard to earn these. If we keep sharing, we won't have enough for ourselves!"

The wild Dragonites had never really understood what work was… but now, hearing it again, they exchanged glances with each other.

Then, an idea formed in their minds.

They turned to Dragonite and asked, "Awoo?" (Can we also go to the ranch and work for Poffins like you?)

Dragonite nodded firmly. "Awoo!" (That's right!)

Hearing this, the wild Dragonites didn't hesitate.

Five minutes later, a swarm of Dragonite soared into the sky, leaving the Reverse World behind.

Naoki, who had been peacefully weeding his farmland, was suddenly interrupted by Cyclizar.

Looking up, he saw what could only be described as an aerial invasion—a flock of Dragonite descending from above.

They circled overhead, scanning their surroundings before finally locking their sights on him.

Within seconds, more than a dozen Dragonites landed around the farmland.

Naoki: "???"

The leader of the group, a confident and heroic-looking Dragonite, stepped forward and let out a proud cry.

"Awoo!"

Rotom Phone, floating nearby, automatically translated:

"[We want to work part-time, too!]"

Naoki: "…"

'Oh boy. The Dragonite are all mobilizing.'

He had way too much experience handling these situations. After confirming their intentions, Naoki sighed and pulled out his Rotom Phone.

He quickly contacted his own Dragonite and told it to return immediately. Then, Naoki efficiently equipped each Dragonite with a Rotom Phone.

...

With the arrival of twelve new recruits, Dragonite Express officially expanded its operations.

The next morning, a flock of Dragonite, each carrying a backpack and a Rotom Phone, soared into the sky from the ranch, setting off in different directions across the Paldea region to deliver packages.

Standing on the ranch, Naoki watched this impressive sight unfold and couldn't help but sigh.

Dragonite Island only had a limited number of residents, yet somehow, most of them had now signed up to work at his ranch.

According to Dragonite, even the young Dratini and Dragonairs back at the island were eagerly looking forward to growing up just so they could join Dragonite Express and enjoy a life of work, Poffins, and luxury.

It was absurd.

'Are Poffins really that irresistible to Dragonite?'

As the number of Dragonite employees increased, new challenges arose. More Dragonite meant a much higher demand for Poffins.

With over thirty Dragonite now working for Dragonite Express, Naoki and sister Indeedee, had to prepare over forty boxes of Poffins daily.

After all, it wasn't just Dragonite—the other Pokémon at the ranch also needed their share.

Even with Indeedee's help, the workload was starting to become overwhelming.

After careful thought, Naoki came up with a solution.

Instead of making all the Poffins themselves, he decided to prepare only a portion each day and outsource the rest.

As a staple snack in the Pokémon world, Poffins were quite affordable—a large box cost just 500 Poké Dollars.

This way, he wouldn't have to worry about running out of stock or failing to pay the Dragonite their well-earned wages.

With that in mind, Naoki began browsing online for reputable dessert shops.

Eventually, he struck a deal with a bakery called "Bulbasaur's Dessert Shop," arranging for a daily delivery of freshly baked Poffins.

The shop was located near Glass Bottle Market.

Originally, the bakery used Toucannon Courier Services for deliveries, but Naoki found them a bit too slow.

So instead, he decided to handle the pickup himself.

Every afternoon at three o'clock, he would send a team of Dragonite to collect the ordered Poffins. Then, when the Dragonite returned from their shifts at five o'clock, he would distribute their well-earned rewards.

With this system in place, Dragonite Express could continue its operations smoothly, and Naoki no longer had to worry about a Dragonite labor strike due to unpaid wages.

Finally, everything was under control.

...

By five o'clock in the afternoon, Dragonite Express had wrapped up for the day.

The Dragonite, having completed their deliveries early, returned to the ranch just in time to receive their daily salary.

As the freshly delivered boxes of Poffins were placed in front of them, the dozen or so new employees couldn't contain their excitement.

'This job is amazing!'

Each delivery took them at most half an hour, leaving the rest of the day free to play, nap, and sunbathe in the pasture.

Back in the wild, they had to fly across vast oceans, spending far more time in the air than they did now while working.

Compared to that exhausting lifestyle, this job was a dream come true!

At that moment, the new Dragonite employees felt one overwhelming regret—

"Awoo" "Why didn't we start working here sooner? We could have been eating Poffins every day!"

...

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