Pokemon: A New Path

Flying Pikachu[509]

The Grasswither Shrine was located in the southeastern part of the Paldea region, deep within South Province (Area One). According to the map Raifort had marked for him, it was near a cliffside, hidden within dense vegetation.

Naoki wasn't sure of its exact location, but if he couldn't find it on his own, he would rely on his personal charm to enlist the help of wild Pokémon in the area.

With his plan set, Naoki prepared for the trip.

After finishing his morning ranch duties, Naoki packed his essentials and prepared to ride Koraidon toward South Province (Area One).

Before setting off, however, he made a stop at the World Tree, dropping off Kubfu to continue its training with Kyogre and Groudon.

"Fu?"

Kubfu tilted its head, looking up at Naoki with a confused expression as he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

At that moment, Naoki couldn't shake the feeling that he was… a parent dropping off their kid at school for the first time.

Shaking off the thought, he patted Kubfu's head with a warm smile.

"Even though I'd love to stay here and train with you, I have an important mission today," he explained. "So stay here, train hard, and I'll pick you up later this evening."

Kubfu blinked, then gave a firm nod.

"Fu!"

"That's the spirit!" Naoki encouraged.

Just then, Kyogre surfaced from the ocean, sensing their arrival.

To ensure Groudon and Kyogre would take good care of Kubfu, Naoki had prepared a special offering.

As he approached Kyogre, he reached into his bag and pulled out a selection of rare Poké Blocks and Poffins, treating them as Kubfu's "tuition fee."

"I'll leave Kubfu in your care, Kyogre," Naoki said sincerely.

Compared to Groudon, Kyogre was typically more composed and rational—at least, when it wasn't in a raging battle.

The great Sea Basin Pokémon looked down at Naoki, then at the bag in his hands.

A sweet aroma drifted from within, escaping through the gaps in the bag.

Naoki took out a Pokeblock and a few Poffins, tossing them into Kyogre's mouth like a trainer feeding a killer whale.

To his surprise, Kyogre didn't refuse—it simply opened its massive jaws and accepted the treats.

For a moment, the legendary Pokémon looked nothing like the god of the sea, the ancient beast that once summoned torrential rains and towering tsunamis.

Instead, it resembled a very well-fed and content Pokémon.

Seeing this, Naoki grew bolder.

Reaching out, he gently patted Kyogre's massive head.

Kyogre: "?"

Feeling the sudden touch, Kyogre's golden eyes narrowed slightly, but before it could react—

Naoki casually stepped back as if nothing had happened.

Then, turning to Kubfu, he said with a grin, "Alright, I'm heading out now. Remember to train hard—I'll come pick you up this evening!"

"Fu!"

Hearing those words, Kubfu felt a warmth in its chest. Naoki had said he would come back and take it home. That meant… it had a family now.

A home.

"Fu~"

Before leaving the World Tree, Naoki made a quick detour to the volcanic region where Groudon resided.

Approaching the massive Legendary Pokémon, he reached into his bag and pulled out Pokeblocks and Poffins.

"I made these myself," Naoki said, handing them over. "Consider this a thank-you gift for taking the time to train Kubfu."

Groudon's golden eyes widened slightly.

A gift? For it?

Although Groudon prided itself on its immense strength and typically cared little for material things, this situation was different.

Because this was Naoki.

The caretaker of the World Tree. The spokesperson of Rayquaza. The one human who had stopped its legendary clash with Kyogre.

And now, this very human was offering it a gift.

For a moment, Groudon was at a loss for words.

However, before it could say anything, Naoki had already turned on his heel and left, heading toward his next destination.

Returning to the ranch, Naoki gathered his supplies and mounted Koraidon.

Before departing, he turned to the Pokémon gathered around him.

"We're heading out now. We'll probably be back by this afternoon," he called out. "Make sure to stay on the ranch and don't wander off, alright?"

"Pon~"

A chorus of cheerful cries rang out, led by Ogerpon, reassuring Naoki that they'd behave.

Satisfied, Naoki nodded, then pulled out his Rotom Phone to confirm his route. With his destination locked in, he and Koraidon soared into the sky, heading south.

Below them, golden fields, winding rivers, and quaint towns rushed past in a blur.

After about an hour of flight, Naoki saw the southern coastline of Paldea come into view.

Unlike the rugged mountainous terrain of the north, the southern half of the region was dominated by open plains and rolling hills.

Among the towns scattered across the land, two in particular stood out—

Los Platos, a small, peaceful settlement. Cabo Poco is a quiet town where the player character lives. 

Naoki was particularly interested in Cabo Poco.

In the games, this was where the player's journey began.

Curious, Naoki had Koraidon circle around for a better view.

Unlike its small, two-house depiction in the games, the real Cabo Poco had a few dozen homes, each one cozy yet elegant, blending perfectly with the serene coastal landscape.

Even though he couldn't pinpoint the player's exact home, he did recognize the lighthouse that housed Professor Sada and Professor Turo's research lab.

Since there was only one lighthouse, it was obvious that this was the lab.

Nearby, Naoki also spotted Inlet Grotto—a familiar location from the game.

This was the place where the player first encountered Koraidon—right inside a small cave by the beach.

From his bird's-eye view, Naoki could see groups of Houndour and Houndoom roaming the rocky cliffs, just like in the games.

They lived in packs, fiercely protecting their territory from intruders.

Watching the scene unfold beneath him, Naoki couldn't help but smile.

"By the way, Koraidon…" Naoki mused aloud.

He gently patted Koraidon's scales, causing the Pokémon to let out a low Raao?

Glancing down at the cave below, Naoki asked,

"How did you end up landing at my ranch, anyway? If you had crashed down here instead, you probably would've met some kind-hearted boy or girl and started your journey with them."

Koraidon's golden pupils flickered, and it let out a low, unreadable rumble.

"Raao"

"Forget it, there's no point in dwelling on that." Naoki reached out and gently patted Koraidon's head. He couldn't bear the thought of being separated from it.

Koraidon let out a satisfied sound. "Raao!"

That's right!

"Alright, alright, let's get going!"

After checking in at Cabo Poco, Naoki rode on Koraidon and headed toward the Grasswither Shrine.

"A cliff… a cliff…"

If he recalled correctly, the exact location of the Grasswither Shrine was somewhere beneath a cliff.

Naoki scanned the towering cliffs ahead, then directed Koraidon to descend.

As soon as they landed, his Rotom Phone suddenly rang.

When he picked up the call, Raifort's face appeared on the screen.

Raifort looked at him expectantly. "How's it going? How many of the Treasures of Ruin have you caught so far?"

Naoki answered truthfully, "I've already captured two, Chi-Yu and Ting-Lu. They're now living peacefully on my ranch. Right now, I'm in South Province (Area One), near the coast of Paldea, preparing to investigate Grasswither Shrine."

Raifort grinned. "Not bad! But don't slack off now—get the others, too!"

At that moment, Koraidon, who was walking ahead, suddenly stiffened and let out a low, alert growl.

"Raao!"

Naoki immediately reacted. "What is it?"

He quickly followed Koraidon's gaze.

They continued along the edge of a small lake before stopping near the base of a towering cliff.

Koraidon peered down and let out another growl. "Raao?"

Naoki followed its gaze—and froze.

At the bottom of the cliff, nestled among the rocks, was a glowing, ancient shrine.

The area around it was eerily lush and overgrown, with thick vegetation, vibrant grass, and small wildflowers blooming all around.

Yet, near the shrine itself, the land was completely barren—the grass had withered to a dull yellow, leaving the ground dry and lifeless.

Naoki narrowed his eyes.

That's…

His Rotom Phone hovered forward, capturing the scene.

Raifort, seeing the footage through the call, immediately noticed something strange.

"Rotom, zoom in."

"Alright, Koraidon, let's go down," Naoki instructed.

Koraidon leaped off the cliff, gliding smoothly downward.

Once they reached the bottom, Rotom Phone carefully scanned the shrine, displaying a detailed close-up of the area.

Naoki and Raifort both spotted the abnormality immediately.

The shrine's original four sealing chains—the ones meant to keep Wo-Chien sealed away—were broken. Only two remained intact.

"That means someone has already removed at least two of the sealing stakes," Naoki muttered.

But who? Was it a passing trainer? Or perhaps a wild Pokémon?

Raifort furrowed her brow as she analyzed the surrounding area.

"The more stakes that get pulled out, the weaker the seal becomes," she said. "It looks like Wo-Chien's power is already leaking out, affecting the land around it."

She let out a sigh.

"If I remember correctly, according to ancient records, Wo-Chien was originally just an ordinary wooden tablet. But a scholar once used it to record the king's tyranny and cruelty."

"The king didn't like that."

"The scholar was severely punished, and his hatred seeped into the wooden tablet, turning it into Wo-Chien."

"And if I'm not mistaken… Wo-Chien's power is to drain the energy from plant life, causing forests to wither instantly and making crops fail."

At this point, Raifort suddenly hesitated, then looked a bit apologetic.

"If you capture it, won't it cause trouble for your ranch…?"

"Don't worry," Naoki said with confidence.

The Reversal Cuisine should be able to neutralize the power of Wo-Chien.

By feeding it the specially prepared dish, the negative energy that drained plant life would instead be reversed—turning it into a force that nourishes the land.

Withered forests would bloom with fresh seedlings. Fields that once suffered crop failure would suddenly experience a bountiful harvest.

At that point, Wo-Chien would no longer be a Pokémon of decay and destruction but a guardian of fertile lands on Naoki's ranch.

Hearing this, Rika paused for a moment before nodding, a small smile appearing on her face.

"You know what? You might be onto something," she said. "If anyone can pull this off, it's you. Guess I'll just have to wait for the good news!"

Naoki: "…"

He had to admit—this world was far too idealistic sometimes.

Hanging up the call, Naoki turned his attention back to Grasswither Shrine.

It was time to finish what he started.

Climbing onto Koraidon's back, he soared to the top of the cliffside and surveyed the landscape.

The Pokémon inhabiting this area were mostly common species—small and nimble creatures well-suited for scouting.

He spotted a Fletchling perched on a tree, a Vivillon fluttering nearby, and a Squawkabilly preening its feathers on a rock. A few Greedent scurried across the grass, foraging for food, while some Tandemaus peeked out curiously from the bushes.

Naoki quickly formulated a plan.

Just like before, he would ask for help—but this time, he would recruit the local Pokémon using his Viridian Power.

Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a handful of freshly made Poffins.

The rich, sweet aroma filled the air.

It didn't take long before the wild Pokémon started to gather.

They sniffed the air, eyes widening with curiosity as they looked at the human standing before them.

But unlike most trainers, Naoki gave off an aura of warmth and trustworthiness.

Not a single Pokémon ran away.

"Ahem." Naoki cleared his throat before addressing them.

"Hey, everyone! My name's Naoki, and I need your help with something!"

He then held up his Rotom Phone, displaying an image of one of the glowing stakes.

"I'm looking for these mysterious stakes hidden around this area. If you can help me find them, I promise to give you lots of delicious food as a reward!"

The Pokémon perked up instantly at the mention of food.

This was the easiest quest ever—all they had to do was fly around, explore a bit, and report back.

And in return? A feast of tasty treats.

The deal was too good to refuse.

So, without hesitation, they all agreed.

The wild Pokémon scattered in all directions, eagerly searching for the glowing stakes.

Naoki scanned the area, looking for a spot with a wide, open view where he could set up camp and wait for the Pokémon to return.

His gaze settled on a cliffside overlooking the vast Paldean Sea.

"Koraidon, let's wait over there!" Naoki suggested.

"Raao!" Koraidon nodded enthusiastically.

However, just as they were about to head over, Koraidon suddenly froze—his eyes locking onto something in the distance.

"Raao?"

"Hm? Did you find something?" Naoki asked, following his Pokémon's line of sight.

The next moment, his eyes widened in shock.

Because there, standing near the edge of the seaside cliff, was a Pikachu—

And it was flying.

Naoki froze in place, barely able to process what he was witnessing.

The Pikachu swung its lightning-charged tail behind it, generating an updraft of electricity, and slowly lifted off the ground.

A flying Pikachu?!

How was it doing that?!

Just as Naoki was trying to understand the phenomenon, the Pikachu suddenly lost balance mid-air and plummeted.

It crashed onto the soft grass below, rolling several times before shakily getting back on its feet—scraped and bruised from the fall.

But instead of stopping to rest, the determined Pikachu sparked with electricity again.

A burst of yellow lightning crackled around its body as it sprinted forward, using the recoil from its own electrical energy to launch itself skyward once more!

Now in the air, the Pikachu began swinging its tail with precise movements, controlling the wind around it as if riding an invisible current.

It really was flying!

Naoki stared in awe before quickly analyzing what he was seeing.

This Pikachu was using Volt Tackle to generate a rotating energy vortex beneath itself.

Then, it would kick off using its powerful tail, continuously bouncing within the vortex to gain altitude.

Once airborne, it adjusted its balance by controlling the airflow with its tail, allowing it to stay aloft—almost like it was gliding.

But after a few seconds, the Pikachu wobbled—and once again, it came crashing down.

Clearly, it hadn't fully mastered the technique yet.

Naoki instinctively looked around, expecting to see a trainer nearby, but there was no one in sight.

That meant this Pikachu wasn't trained by a human.

It had developed this technique all on its own.

Realizing this, Naoki felt a deep sense of admiration.

This wild Pikachu was incredibly intelligent. To be able to invent and refine such a complex battle technique entirely through trial and error was beyond impressive.

But just then, Pikachu noticed him and Koraidon standing nearby.

Its ears twitched, and its eyes narrowed with wariness—tiny bolts of electricity crackling on its cheeks.

"Pikapi!"

Then, without hesitation, the scarred Pikachu spun around and bolted.

Its small figure darted into the tall grass, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

...

Bonus Chapter @500 PS

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