Pokemon: A New Path

Hoenn Region

A gentle rain drizzled over the volcanic crater, cascading down onto the stone-paved streets in the heart of the city.

Within this natural caldera, nestled by the tranquil waters of the crater lake, stood the Sootopolis Gym—a grand structure in one of Hoenn's most iconic cities.

According to legend, Sootopolis City was born from the eruption of an ancient underwater volcano. Over time, rainwater filled the massive crater left behind, giving rise to a magnificent lake in its center. As the years passed, people discovered that the region's warm, humid climate made it a perfect place to settle, leading to the foundation of the city.

It was here that Steven Stone arrived in search of assistance from his trusted friend, Wallace, hoping to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Red and Blue Orbs.

However, just as he was about to discuss his next course of action, a message flashed across his screen.

Steven stared at the reply in silence for a long moment.

[Gold King]: The orbs are with me. Don't worry.]

Across the room, Wallace, lounging on a luxurious velvet sofa, sipped his tea while watching Steven's reaction with keen interest.

"A rancher?" Wallace repeated, raising an intrigued brow. "Well, now that's fascinating."

Steven remained silent.

He never would have imagined that the two legendary orbs had somehow traveled overnight from Hoenn to the distant Paldea region. The absurdity of the situation was almost laughable.

More baffling was the fact that the three Pokémon he had encountered—a Teddiursa, a Zapdos, and a small pink feline-like Pokémon—were apparently all part of the same team.

Steven had spent the previous night researching the mysterious pink Pokémon. After cross-referencing the information in various records, he had finally identified it—it was none other than the mythical Pokémon Mew.

That meant Stranger No. 1—or rather, Naoki, as he had now introduced himself—not only had Zapdos, but also Mew under his command.

It was nearly impossible to believe that a mere rancher could have captured such rare and powerful Pokémon.

It wasn't that Steven underestimated the profession of a rancher—far from it. However, in his experience, ranchers specialized in raising Pokémon, not in catching legendary ones.

Wallace, seeing Steven deep in thought, smirked and swirled his tea. "Well, I suppose this saves us a great deal of trouble. At the very least, Team Magma and Team Aqua will never suspect that the orbs have been taken to Paldea."

Steven exhaled slightly, his tense shoulders easing.

He had spent days researching Hoenn's ancient history, fully aware of the catastrophic consequences should Groudon and Kyogre awaken once more.

Thousands of years ago, the two titans had clashed in an all-out battle for dominance, wreaking havoc across the Hoenn region.

Had Rayquaza not descended from the skies to quell their battle, the entire region might have been destroyed.

In honor of that event, Sky Pillar had been constructed as a sacred site, forever tied to Rayquaza's legend.

Returning his attention to the message, Steven replied:

[Steven Stone]: Then I'll leave them in your care.]

A response came almost immediately.

[Gold King]: No problem. Once this is all over, you can come to my ranch to retrieve them.]

[Steven Stone]: Understood.]

Wallace chuckled at the name. "Naoki Ranch… What an interesting place this must be. A humble ranch, run by a man with legendary Pokémon? Now I'm dying to visit."

Steven, however, was still processing everything.

Even though the orbs were now safe, the situation in Hoenn was far from resolved.

Team Magma and Team Aqua had already obtained critical data on Groudon and Kyogre's locations.

With the orbs out of reach, their only option now was to use force to awaken the two legendary Pokémon directly.

Realizing this, Steven acted swiftly.

He opened the Pokémon League's communication network, initiating an emergency video conference with all Gym Leaders in Hoenn.

Once all the familiar faces appeared on-screen, Steven spoke in a commanding tone.

"From this moment forward, we are entering a state of high alert."

His sharp gaze scanned the screen.

"I will personally head to Groudon's resting place to stop Team Magma's plans, while Wallace will dive into the deep seas to prevent Team Aqua from awakening Kyogre."

"If we fail…" His voice grew heavier. "Prepare for immediate evacuation procedures."

"The Weather Institute will be monitoring any activity from the two ancient Pokémon. Once they awaken, Hoenn's fate will be in our hands."

A tense silence filled the call.

Then, one by one, the Gym Leaders nodded in understanding.

"Understood!"

"Got it!"

"Leave it to us!"

"We won't let Hoenn fall!"

Steven closed the call.

With the next phase of the battle about to unfold, he turned to his closest ally.

"Wallace, I'll leave Kyogre to you."

The Sootopolis Gym Leader flashed an elegant smile, flipping his cape dramatically.

"Naturally. You can count on me, Champion~"

Steven: "…"

With their roles decided, Hoenn's strongest trainers prepared for the inevitable showdown.

Meanwhile, at Naoki's Ranch…

Naoki was chatting with Teddiursa about Mewtwo and the cloned Pokémon.

"Don't worry! Mewtwo and the others have settled down at the World Tree, and the Expedition Guild and other facilities have been completed. You'll be surprised when you come back next time!" Naoki said with a smile.

Hearing this, Mew and Teddiursa, who had been slightly concerned, immediately felt at ease.

"Does Mewtwo like the World Tree?" Mew asked curiously.

"He should, right?" Naoki thought back to Mewtwo's behavior over the past few days.

He was about to explain when something occurred to him. Smacking his forehead, he said, "Oh, right! Mewtwo has a Rotom Phone now. I'll send you its number so you can add it as a friend."

As he spoke, Naoki switched screens and shared Mewtwo's contact on the Pokémon Forum.

The moment they received it, Mew and Teddiursa's eyes lit up with excitement. They couldn't wait to add Mewtwo to their friends list!

Before ending the call, Teddiursa glanced at the two glowing orbs in Naoki's hands.

Even if Naoki liked them, he wouldn't keep something that belonged to someone else.

Teddiursa thought about it carefully, then patted its little chest with determination. "Naoki! Next time, I'll find an even prettier treasure for you!"

Naoki: "..."

He had no doubt about Teddiursa's ability to find rare items. With its Pickup ability, combined with Super Luck and the Divine Blessing of Ho-Oh, it wouldn't even be surprising if one day it casually brought back one of Arceus' Plates.

Still, he was touched by the little bear's sincerity.

Naoki smiled and nodded. "I believe in you."

Teddiursa's eyes sparkled with joy, and it nodded back enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

Taking a deep breath, Naoki said, "Alright, I won't bother you two any longer. I need to prepare some food for Zapdos. Anything specific you'd like me to send over?"

Teddiursa's ears perked up. "Honey pudding and honey candy!"

Mew, hovering beside it, chimed in, "Poké Blocks and Poké Puffs!"

Naoki chuckled. "Got it. I'll get started right away."

After ending the call, he turned to Zapdos. "How about you? Want anything to eat?"

The proud Zapdos lifted its head, feathers ruffling as it declared haughtily that it wasn't hungry.

The next second, a loud grumble echoed from its stomach.

Naoki: "..."

Zapdos' feathers fluffed up in embarrassment.

Pretending he hadn't heard anything, Naoki turned away and headed to the kitchen, getting to work on preparing the Pokémon's treats.

Meanwhile, at the World Tree…

Mewtwo was sitting in a quiet clearing when a notification popped up on its Rotom Phone.

'A friend request?'

It tapped the screen in curiosity. Upon seeing the usernames—Teddiursa, Mew, and Zapdos—Mewtwo immediately understood and accepted the request.

The moment it did, an incoming video call request appeared.

Mewtwo hesitated for a brief moment before pressing accept.

The screen lit up, revealing the excited faces of Teddiursa and Mew.

"Mewtwo!" Mew beamed. "You made it to the World Tree, right? Do you like it there?"

Seeing Mew's wide, bright eyes staring at it expectantly, Mewtwo felt a strange sense of warmth.

It nodded. "Yes. This place is the paradise we were searching for."

"That's great!" Mew cheered. "After we finish our mission here, we'll come back! Then I'll take you to our Hero Expedition Team's secret base!"

Mewtwo nodded. "Alright."

It paused for a moment before asking, "Are you still traveling as you did before?"

Mew hummed happily. "Yep! There are still so many Pokémon in the world who need help!"

Hearing this, Mewtwo frowned slightly, a hint of confusion flickering in its eyes. "But… why?" It hesitated, struggling to understand. "Why do you go out of your way to help other Pokémon?"

Mewtwo pondered the question, wondering if Mew and Teddiursa helped others simply to gain something in return—perhaps a sense of fulfillment or the gratitude and gifts of those they aided.

However, Mew's answer was far beyond its expectations.

"Because they need help!" Mew said matter-of-factly, as if the answer were obvious.

Mewtwo was momentarily stunned. Was it really that simple? They helped others just because those Pokémon needed it?

Teddiursa chimed in eagerly, nodding. "That's right! We want to make friends with everyone and invite them to the World Tree so we can all live together forever!"

The little bear beamed as it imagined the future. "We'll play together in the fields, pick berries, nap in the tree hollows… We'll never feel lonely again! Just thinking about it makes me so happy!"

"Happiness..." Mewtwo murmured, repeating the word.

What exactly was happiness? What did it feel like?

It wasn't the first time Mewtwo had pondered such questions, yet the answer still seemed distant.

After ending the conversation with Mew and Teddiursa, Mewtwo sat in silence for a long moment. Then, out of curiosity, it opened the search engine on its Rotom Phone and began typing in human language.

—What is happiness?

The results loaded almost instantly.

Happiness is a deep, long-lasting sense of contentment with life. It is the joy that comes when one's needs are fulfilled and a stable desire to maintain the present state of being. It is a mindset, an experience, and even a way of living.

Satisfaction with life… A stable state of wanting things to remain unchanged…

Mewtwo reflected on its current existence.

Life at the World Tree had been peaceful. It farmed fields, planted crops, harvested berries, and rested on sun-warmed stones alongside the cloned Pokémon. There were no humans seeking to harm them, no Team Rocket tracking their every move, no battles for survival.

No war. No fear. No hunger.

'Was this happiness?'

Mewtwo wasn't sure.

At the Ranch

As noon approached, Naoki finished preparing the requested food for Mew and Teddiursa.

He packed honey pudding, honey candy, Poké Blocks, and Poké Puffs neatly into Zapdos' satchel, filling every bit of space inside. Then, as an extra touch, he placed a pack of specially made Electric-type Energy Cubes in the bag, just for Zapdos.

Finally, he checked the Poké Balls stored in the satchel—Mew and Teddiursa had taken them on their journey to recruit new Pokémon for the World Tree, but during this period, they hadn't caught anyone new.

'Maybe they've been too busy searching for Jirachi to invite anyone,' Naoki thought.

After making sure everything was ready, he gently stroked Zapdos' slightly prickly feathers and said, "Alright, everything's set. I packed all the food Mew and Teddiursa asked for, and I also made a batch of Energy Cubes for you. I wasn't sure which flavor you'd prefer, so I prepared a mix of ones typically enjoyed by Electric-type Pokémon."

Zapdos turned its sharp gaze toward Naoki.

Despite its usual prideful nature, the Thunderbird couldn't help but be touched by the gesture.

Of course, it wouldn't admit that.

Instead, it let out a sharp cry, flapped its mighty wings, and turned away with an air of indifference, as if to say, "Hmph, this is no big deal."

Naoki smiled knowingly. "Alright, then. Safe travels!"

Without another glance back, Zapdos soared into the sky. In the blink of an eye, it had disappeared into the clouds.

Watching the majestic Pokémon vanish, Naoki found himself thinking about Mew and Teddiursa.

Their little Expedition Team had come such a long way.

It was actually kind of moving.

Who would have thought that, in the beginning, Teddiursa was just a mischievous Pokémon that relied on its adorable appearance to trick farmers into giving it honey?

And now… it had grown into a kindhearted Pokémon, one that carried a heart full of justice.

Naoki sighed, feeling a wave of nostalgia as he prepared to head back to the house with Koraidon, ready to enjoy the cool breeze of the air conditioning.

But just then, Koraidon suddenly tensed up, its keen eyes locking onto something in the distance.

"Raao?"

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Naoki followed its gaze.

That's when he spotted it—a Sprigatito sitting in the bushes.

Naoki froze for a moment.

A wild Sprigatito? That was unexpected.

The Grass-type Starter Pokémon from Paldea wasn't commonly found in the wild. It was usually raised by trainers who selected it at the start of their journey.

But as Naoki took a closer look, he noticed something odd.

The Sprigatito wore a small bell around its neck, similar to those found on Gogoat herds raised on farms.

Clearly, someone had placed that bell on it.

"So… it's not wild?" Naoki muttered.

Surprisingly, the Sprigatito showed no fear upon seeing him and Koraidon. Instead, it calmly padded toward them, eyes bright with curiosity.

When it got close enough, it looked up at Koraidon, then at Naoki, before tilting its head slightly.

"Spiri?"

Naoki blinked.

"Hold on a second," he said, pulling out his Rotom Phone and activating the Pokémon Translator app.

"Say that again?"

Sprigatito glanced at the phone, then repeated itself.

"Spiri?"

A moment later, Rotom translated the words aloud.

[Is this the Pokémon Tavern?]

Naoki was stunned.

'The Pokémon Tavern? It actually came here looking for tavern?'

Recovering quickly, he crouched down and asked, "What brings you here?"

Sprigatito's ears perked up as it confidently answered, "Meow-ha!" (I heard this place helps Pokémon!)

Naoki nodded. "That's right. Do you need help finding your trainer?"

He figured it must have gotten lost and learned about the Pokémon Tavern from another Pokémon that had been helped before.

He imagined a poor, worried trainer searching desperately for their missing partner.

However, the moment he brought up its trainer, Sprigatito's expression soured.

"Spiri!" (No way!)@@novelbin@@

It turned away, its tail flicking in irritation.

Naoki was startled.

'Wait… what? Did it just… reject my help?'

Sprigatito huffed dramatically before continuing.

Apparently, its trainer had caught a new Pokémon and started paying all their attention to it, completely ignoring Sprigatito.

Feeling neglected, the jealous Sprigatito had run away from home.

Later, it overheard some other Pokémon talking about a tavern that helps Pokémon with their problems.

So, it had come seeking advice.

Naoki listened carefully, his expression growing amused.

"So, you're not here because you want me to help you find your trainer…" He trailed off, piecing things together.

Sprigatito turned back toward him, puffing up its chest.

"Spiri?" (I want to ask—how do I make my trainer like ONLY me?!)

Naoki was speechless.

Sprigatito stared up at him, eyes full of hope. It seemed to think Naoki was some kind of expert on the matter.

He felt a sudden headache coming on.

Pokémon could really be something else sometimes.

Seeing Naoki's reaction, Sprigatito frowned, its ears twitching in frustration.

Then, as if sensing that Naoki was too slow to understand, it decided to explain its entire life story in one dramatic rant.

"Spiri, Spiri, Spiri-ha!" (Astro is so mean! Ever since he caught that new Pokémon, he only pays attention to it! He spends all day taking care of those annoying Pokémon, and he didn't even notice that I ran away from home for days!)

Naoki immediately understood.

"So, you want your trainer to only like you and no one else?"

Sprigatito nodded furiously.

"Spiri!" (That's right! Can you help me? If you do, I'll even give you my favorite treasure!)

Naoki: "…"

'So I'm not the only one dealing with Pokémon jealousy problems.'

Apparently, this was a universal issue.

He had far too many Pokémon at the ranch, and some of them got jealous whenever he spent time with others.

Just the other day, Flareon and Sylveon refused to move from his lap while he was working, demanding attention.

And now… he was supposed to help this little drama queen make its trainer obsessed with it?

Naoki let out a long sigh.

...

Bonus Chapter