Pokemon: A New Path

Zapdos turned to look at the two wide-eyed Legendary birds and said calmly, "Chiu." (This is the World Tree—Naoki planted it for us.)

"Artii?!" Articuno was visibly stunned.

This enormous, majestic tree was… planted by that human?

Moltres blinked in disbelief. "Moltr?" (For you? He must really like you a lot.)

Zapdos paused for a moment, then clarified, "Chiu." (Not just for me. For all the Pokémon who live here.)

If Naoki truly wished it, Zapdos believed that every single Pokémon on this tree would gladly become his partner.

But Articuno misunderstood.

"Arttii?!" (That human really treats the Pokémon he catches this well?!)

To think a human had gone to such lengths—planting this huge, life-rich tree for Pokémon to live in. The natural energy here was so dense, it felt like a paradise for Pokémon.

Both Articuno and Moltres were struck with envy.

If only they could live like that;

Zapdos continued flying ahead, and the two followed, gliding over the lush canopy of the World Tree.

Below, they saw Pokémon among the branches and groves—Treecko, Venusaur, and Tropius were picking ripe berries and fruits, loading them onto the back of a Mudsdale, which then trotted off, delivering the harvest to other areas.

Further along, they passed over a vast patch of farmland.

There, Water-type Pokémon like Blastoise, Milotic, and Vaporeon were lined up, using Water Gun to irrigate rows of crops. The sight left Moltres speechless.

"Moltr?!" (Wait—Naoki planted all this?!)

Zapdos shook his head. "Chiu." (No. He taught us how to plant. Everyone here works the land, picks fruit, and fills their bellies through their own efforts.)

Moltres was taken aback. "Moltre?" (Will Naoki come here, too?)

Zapdos nodded with a rare softness. "Chiu." (He said when he grows old, he'll retire here and live with us.)

As they talked, the trio passed over the farmland and entered the bustling Pokémon Guild.

There, Articuno and Moltres saw Pokémon from all walks of life.

Pikachu, Meowth, Golduck, Ninetales, Gyarados, Sandslash, Nidoking.

Some were familiar, others completely new. Some Pokémon ran quaint shops in buildings built with human tools. Others relaxed by the fountains in the park, lounging peacefully on benches, chatting or napping.

"Moltre?!" (What is this place?!) Articuno stared, stunned.

Zapdos smiled faintly. "Chiu." (Welcome to the Headquarters of the Hero's Expedition Guild.)

...

Naoki's Ranch – 8:00 PM

While other ranches had gone dark for the night, the lights of Naoki's home still shone brightly.

The Indeedee siblings and Gholdengo were already at the Pokémon Tavern, hosting their usual warm and noisy gathering for traveling and town Pokémon alike.

Meanwhile, Naoki remained at home, working quietly in the kitchen, steaming a fresh batch of buns made with Moltres and Articuno's feathers.

In the living room, Koraidon and Cyclizar were sprawled out on the carpet, yawning sleepily.

Calyrex was sitting on the couch, legs tucked in as he scrolled through his Rotom Phone with a content smile.

Naoki, on the other hand, was on a video call—with none other than Sinnoh's Champion, Cynthia.

He was a bit surprised to see her call out of the blue. As soon as the screen connected, her elegant face appeared, her golden hair slightly tousled.

"Ms. Cynthia? It's rare to get a call from you at this hour. What's the matter?" Naoki asked, curious.

Cynthia nodded, her usually composed expression showing traces of hesitation and confusion.

"Mr. Naoki… I wanted to ask you something. Is what Giratina posted true? Because… it completely contradicts the history I've studied."

Naoki blinked, slightly surprised. "What?"

'Did Cynthia… contact Giratina?'

"You didn't know?" she asked, visibly surprised.

Naoki shook his head. He had been busy with battles and climbing the ranks these past couple of days. He hasn't really checked on what Giratina's been up to."

Hearing this, Cynthia took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing.

"This morning, Giratina made a post on the Pokémon forums. It claimed that Arceus—the God of Creation—is an inherently evil Pokémon, and that He's going to wake up soon and destroy humanity."

Naoki: "…"

His face twisted into an expression that was hard to describe. "Giratina really posted that?"

Cynthia nodded seriously. "It caused a lot of buzz."

Naoki immediately opened the Pokémon forum and tapped into Giratina's profile.

Sure enough, there it was—the post was real. And worse, it had over 30 million likes and seven-digit comment numbers. It had gone viral, appearing in trending searches worldwide.

Millions of people had already read it.

Naoki sighed heavily.

"Giratina, are you out of your mind?" he muttered to himself.

Why on earth would Giratina start spreading such baseless rumors about Arceus?!

Cynthia, watching his expression closely, asked cautiously, "So… is it true? Is there any chance that what Giratina said is real?"

Naoki slowly shook his head. "No. And as someone well-versed in the history of the Sinnoh region, I think you'd agree."

He leaned back slightly, his tone thoughtful.

"Hundreds of years ago, back when Sinnoh was still called the Hisui region, there was a major disaster. It's a little-known event—but it left a mark."

Cynthia's eyes widened slightly. "The Hisui era? I've come across scattered records about that."

"That disaster," Naoki continued, "was orchestrated by Giratina and a human who sought vengeance against Arceus. Together, they tried to destroy the world Arceus created."

Cynthia remained silent, hanging on his words.

"So, based on that, it's not hard to see that Giratina and Arceus don't exactly get along."

A flicker of realization crossed Cynthia's face.

So that's why Giratina made that post—it was another form of retaliation. 

"Do you know why?" she asked, voice now laced with curiosity.

"I can't say for certain," Naoki admitted. "But I think… it may be a matter of favoritism."

He glanced at the screen again, his expression calm but reflective.

"Arceus created Giratina, Dialga, and Palkia. Each of them was given immense power—time, space, antimatter. But it's said that Arceus banished Giratina for its violent behavior."

"Dialga and Palkia are free to live in this beautiful world," Naoki continued, "but Giratina was cast out—banished to a shattered dimension. According to the records, it's a realm of dead silence, nothing but emptiness."

Cynthia fell into quiet thought, her golden eyes narrowing with curiosity and concern.

Just then, a soft ding echoed from the living room.

It was the timer Naoki had set—his cue that the steamed buns were ready.

He glanced toward the kitchen, then looked back at the screen. "I've got something to finish up. Let's wrap it up here for today. But if you come across any ancient tomes about myths or legends, feel free to bring them to me. I might be able to help you decode them."

"I understand. Thank you very much for your insight, Mr. Naoki," Cynthia replied politely, nodding with gratitude.

Naoki offered a warm smile, then ended the call without much ceremony. He made his way into the kitchen and carefully lifted the lid from the steamer.

A rush of warm, milky-white steam billowed out.

Inside, two rows of freshly steamed buns sat neatly on bamboo leaves. One set was a frosty ice-blue color, the other glowed with a fiery orange-red hue, shaped like small flames.

The Frozen Buns and Flame Buns were done.

Naoki looked at them with interest, and in that moment, the dishes' information surfaced clearly in his mind:

[Frozen Buns (S+)]

Crafted from the powdered feathers of a Legendary Pokémon said to embody winter itself. These buns are infused with the pure energy of Ice.

Effect –: Upon consumption, an Ice-type Pokémon can awaken immense control over ice and snow, mirroring the legendary might of Articuno. They'll gain the ability to manipulate frost in the air, summon blizzards, and freeze ambient moisture into falling snow.

Note: Usable only by Ice-type Pokémon. Each Pokémon may consume this item only once.

Evaluation: A once-in-a-lifetime culinary masterpiece. Best reserved for your strongest Ice-type partner!

[Flame Buns (S+)]

Prepared from the powdered feathers of a Legendary Pokémon born from flame. These buns radiate with volcanic warmth and fiery vitality.

Effect –: Upon consumption, a Fire-type Pokémon gains mastery over flame, channeling fire with divine authority akin to Moltres. The user can summon radiant infernos, melt through steel, and warm the earth like the sun itself.

Note: Usable only by Fire-type Pokémon. Each Pokémon may consume this item only once.

Evaluation: An extraordinary dish without equal. Give this to a Fire-type you truly trust!

...

World Tree – Expedition Guild Headquarters

Articuno and Moltres stood by the fountain, wide-eyed and full of curiosity. They looked just like country Pokémon visiting a bustling metropolis for the first time, taking in the unfamiliar sights with awe.

Around them, the Pokémon community buzzed with life.

From the distance, a Milotic gracefully slithered toward them—only, it wasn't alone. Riding atop it were three Tatsugiri loaded with a basket full of fresh fish. The duo zipped into a quaint restaurant building and handed the basket off to a Venusaur behind the counter.

Without missing a beat, Venusaur grabbed a kitchen knife using Vine Whip and began filleting the fish with practiced ease.

In no time, the fish had been sliced into thin cuts of glistening white and pink sashimi.

At a nearby table, a Meowth and a Purrolin watched the preparation with eager eyes.

Soon, a pair of beautifully prepared sushi rolls was served by the restaurant's smiling waiter: a Golduck wearing an apron and a little bowtie.

The cat Pokemon dug in immediately, their tails flicking with joy.

"Artui…" Articuno murmured in amazement. It couldn't believe what it was seeing.

Pokémon... living like humans?

And that food—it looked so mouthwatering!

Just then, a sharp whistle echoed from the rooftop of another building.

Startled, Articuno looked up and spotted a Noctowl perched on the roof, acting as a lookout. The whistle had been its signal.

In response, several Pokémon dashed out of the nearby clinic and gently carried an unconscious Pokémon back inside.

Articuno narrowed its eyes. The Pokémon looked badly hurt.

Alarmed, Moltres flared its wings and stepped forward. "Moltre?" (Is there a danger here?)

Zapdos, calm as ever, shook its head. "Chiu." (No. That Pokémon got hurt during battle training.)

It explained that many Pokémon on the World Tree strengthened themselves through organized combat and sparring. Injuries were an unfortunate, yet expected part of it.

That's where the Pokémon Hospital came in.

Whenever the lookout spotted an injured Pokémon, they'd blow a whistle to alert the emergency team. Pokémon stationed nearby would rush to retrieve the injured and treat them using berries and Moomoo Milk from the supply shop.

However… there was a small issue.

The hospital currently lacks any professional Chansey or Audino nurses. So, mistakes were… frequent.

Sometimes the helpers gave Pecha Berries for burns, or used Aspear Berries for frostbites. As a result, patients often worsened instead of getting better. In the end, Mewtwo himself had to step in, bringing the worst cases to Ho-Oh for purification with Sacred Fire.

Watching all this unfold, Articuno and Moltres felt something stir in their hearts.

This place… it's like a paradise.

A safe haven built specifically for Pokémon, where they could grow stronger, help each other, and live without fear.

Articuno sighed wistfully. "Arttii…" (If only we could live here too...)

But they were just visitors. This World Tree had been grown by the human Naoki for his Pokémon. Outsiders like them probably didn't stand a chance.

Moltres, however, wasn't ready to give up.

An idea sparked in its mind.

What if... they became Naoki's Pokémon too?

Just as the thought crossed its mind, a flash of white light lit up near the fountain.

From within the glow stepped a humanoid Pokémon with a long, powerful tail—its eyes shining with intellect and authority.

The two Legendary Pokémon were visibly startled.

Mewtwo gave Moltres and Articuno a calm glance, then spoke through telepathy.

"Naoki is looking for you."

...

Bonus Chapter @1500 PS

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