Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 408: Tropius

Chapter 408: Tropius

After hanging up the phone, Naoki immediately made his way to Kosaji Town.

When he arrived, Rachel was busy organizing food in the store. Upon seeing Naoki, she quickly set aside her work and led him to where the Tropius was being kept.

"The Tropius is currently staying at our ranch," Rachel explained as they walked. "But it seems really down. It's been feeling lonely ever since it got separated from its flock."

Naoki nodded in understanding as Rachel continued.

Tropius, like many other Pokémon, has unique migratory habits. These Grass and Flying-type Pokémon are native to tropical jungles, particularly in the Alola region, where they are abundant. However, smaller populations of Tropius also live in other regions, adapting to their environments.

The migration patterns of Tropius are fascinating. Every winter, they form large flocks and migrate to warmer southern regions, much like swallows. They only return north when the weather becomes more temperate.

After passing through a patch of withered, yellow grassland, Naoki finally spotted the Tropius by a small lake.

In person, Tropius was even larger than Naoki imagined, standing over two meters tall. Its brownish-gray body resembled a coastal coconut tree, with a long neck, sturdy legs, and three broad, leafy fronds sprouting from its head. Its back bore four massive, leaf-like wings that it used to fly.

The most eye-catching feature, however, was the cluster of banana-like fruits hanging from its neck.

"This is Tropius. Mr. Naoki, have you seen one up close before?" Rachel asked.

Naoki shook his head. "Not up close. I've only seen one from a distance at Casseroya Lake."

Casseroya Lake, with its abundant water, lush vegetation, and fresh air, was a favored spot for Tropius to thrive.

"I see!" Rachel replied with a nod. She continued, "You know, Tropius can also be raised on ranches."

She gestured toward the fruit hanging from its neck. "These fruits grow twice a year. I've tasted them before, and they're incredibly sweet and delicious. In the Alola region, children often eat the fruit from Tropius' necks as snacks. In fact, the fruit is so popular there that several Tropius breeding farms have been established."

She paused before adding, "That said, due to Padia's cooler climate, Tropius fruits here aren't as sweet as the ones in Alola."

Naoki listened intently, his gaze fixed on the majestic Pokémon. "Tropius is enormous!" he remarked, marveling at its size, comparable to an elephant.

Rachel chuckled. "Don't worry, Mr. Naoki! Tropius are incredibly gentle by nature. Even wild Tropius are known to willingly share the fruit from their necks with people in need."

To demonstrate, Rachel approached the Tropius and gently stroked its legs. "It's alright, Tropius," she said soothingly. "We've found a kind trainer who's willing to care for you. This gentleman right here."

The Tropius looked toward Naoki with a somber gaze, clearly still longing for its flock.

Naoki took a step closer, raising a hand in a friendly wave. "Hello, Tropius. I'm Naoki, and I run a ranch. If you'd like, you're welcome to spend the winter with us. We'll take good care of you."

Naoki couldn't help but think, 'It's a shame Tropius isn't a Dragon-type Pokémon; otherwise, the power of dragon control would work on it.'

Hearing his words, Tropius raised its long neck and gazed at him with curious eyes. It saw a kind human smiling warmly in its direction.

Rachel, standing beside Tropius, nodded in agreement. "Yes, Mr. Naoki is a very kind man. His ranch is home to many different Pokémon. If you spend the winter there, you won't feel lonely at all."

"Troo-pius…" Tropius let out a low, somewhat melancholy cry but eventually nodded, signifying its agreement to go to the ranch with Naoki.

It didn't have many other options. With its injured wing, it couldn't fly south with the rest of its flock. Watching them leave while it stayed behind had been a heartbreaking experience.

Seeing Tropius agree, Naoki smiled warmly. "Great! Let's head back now. The Pokémon at the ranch are looking forward to meeting you!"

Naoki wasn't exaggerating. Before leaving, several Pokémon—Alcremie, Gholdengo, and Ogerpon—had eagerly asked where he was going. When Naoki explained about Tropius, they became excited upon hearing about a Pokémon that grew sweet fruits on its neck. The thought of meeting Tropius had them waiting enthusiastically at home for its arrival.

Hearing that other Pokémon were excited to meet it, Tropius seemed touched. Its mood lifted slightly, and it let out a deep, resonant cry, then flapped its large wings and moved closer to Naoki.

Naoki was momentarily surprised by Tropius's gesture. "Wait… are you asking me to ride on your back?" he asked incredulously.

"Tropii!"

The large Pokémon nodded, lowering itself slightly to make it easier for him to climb on.

Seeing this, Naoki smiled and didn't hesitate. He recalled the Cyclizar to its Poké Ball and carefully climbed onto Tropius's back.

Waving goodbye to Rachel, Naoki and Tropius prepared to depart.

Rachel, her face lighting up with joy, called out, "Take care, Tropius! Live happily at the ranch!"

"Tropiii!"

The Pokémon responded gratefully, its tone warm. It lowered its neck and offered Rachel the bananas growing around its chin—a gesture of thanks to the person who had saved and cared for it.

Naoki watched this exchange and nodded approvingly. 'It's such a kind and polite Tropius,' he thought to himself.

Just as he was about to express his admiration aloud, Naoki noticed something astonishing. The bananas that Tropius had given to Rachel had already regrown on its neck.

Startled, Naoki blinked in disbelief.

Naoki furrowed his brow in confusion. 'Wait a minute—don't the fruits on Tropius's neck ripen only twice a year?'

But then, something clicked in his mind, and he suddenly understood.

"This Tropius has the Harvest ability!" he exclaimed inwardly.

Harvest, a hidden ability of Tropius, grants it the chance to regenerate consumed berries with a 50% chance under normal conditions and a 100% chance on sunny days. This realization explained everything.

Rachel, holding the freshly grown fruit, quickly caught on as well. "So your ability is Harvest!" she said, turning to Tropius with a bright smile. Then, looking back at Naoki, she added, "Mr. Naoki, Tropius with the Harvest ability are known for being very productive!"

She continued enthusiastically, "They can convert their body's energy, water, and sunlight into nutrients to accelerate fruit regrowth. That's why the fruit you saw just regrew so quickly! But," she clarified, "this ability can only be used once in a short period of time. After activating, Tropius needs some time to recover its energy before it can regrow fruit again."

Hearing her explanation, Naoki nodded thoughtfully. 'That makes perfect sense', he mused. A Tropius with the Harvest ability seemed like the ideal addition to his ranch.

What surprised him even more, however, was Rachel's knowledge on the subject. He vividly remembered when he first met her—a shy and soft-spoken girl. Now, two years later, Rachel had grown into a confident and cheerful young woman.

"You're amazing, Rachel! You even know about Pokémon abilities like Harvest," Naoki praised her with genuine admiration.

Rachel blushed slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. "My grandfather taught me a lot! I'm planning to become a Pokémon breeder in the future, so he's been sharing all sorts of Pokémon-related knowledge with me."

"A Pokémon breeder?" Naoki smiled warmly. "That's a wonderful goal. Keep it up, Rachel!"

She nodded firmly, her confidence unwavering. "I will! Thank you, Mr. Naoki."

After their brief chat, Tropius flapped its broad, leafy wings and rose into the air. Naoki pointed in the direction of his ranch, and Tropius, with a determined nod, flew off in that direction.

While Tropius wasn't as fast as Dragonite, its spacious back made the ride incredibly stable, almost like sitting on an elephant.

Before long, Naoki and Tropius landed at the ranch. A group of Pokémon was already gathered, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

As soon as Tropius touched down, the Pokémon rushed over excitedly, surrounding them.

Naoki gestured toward Tropius and introduced it with a smile. "Everyone, this is Tropius. Tropius, these are the Pokémon I told you about earlier!"

Tropius, towering over the crowd, looked at the diverse Pokémon curiously.

Alcremie, Gholdengo, Ogerpon, and others all chimed in with enthusiastic welcomes. Their warmth seemed to lift Tropius's spirits even more.

Seeing their friendliness, Tropius couldn't help but let out a happy cry, its leafy wings swaying gently. "Tropius~!"

The next step was finding the perfect place for Tropius to stay on the ranch.

The weather was getting colder by the day. As a Grass and Flying-type Pokémon, Tropius had a severe weakness to Ice and was just as vulnerable to the cold as Cyclizar. This was precisely why Tropius and its kind migrated south in large groups before winter arrived.

Naoki considered the options. The ranch during winter clearly wasn't suitable for Tropius. After some thought, he knew just the place.

He rode Tropius across the lake at the ranch and entered the Reverse World, leading the Pokémon to the Sky Island where the World Tree stood tall.

This island had been cultivated with sunflowers that emitted both light and warmth. For Grass-type Pokémon like Tropius, this environment was perfect. Here, they could photosynthesize freely to replenish their energy, even in the depths of winter.

The World Tree itself had grown tremendously, towering over 100 meters high. Even Tropius, with its impressive two-meter frame, looked small beside it. Thankfully, the Reverse World had infinite space, so there was no concern about overcrowding.

Tropius stared at the towering tree in awe, its eyes wide with surprise. "Tropius~!" it exclaimed, its tone filled with wonder.

"This is the World Tree," Naoki explained with a smile.

He then approached the nearby Pokémon. The Gogoats lounging peacefully beneath the World Tree and Arboliva, whose form had grown larger and more vibrant thanks to the abundant natural energy here, greeted him warmly. Naoki patted their heads and introduced the new arrival.

"This is Tropius. If everything goes well, it'll be staying with you from now on," he said.

The Gogoats, as relaxed and gentle as ever, welcomed Tropius with warm gestures. Arboliva, standing majestically on the Sky Island and resembling an enormous olive tree, opened its eyes. Its gaze met Tropius's, and it offered a soft, graceful welcome.

Tropius observed its new companions curiously. It was drawn to the goats, sensing an unusually rich Grass-type energy radiating from them. Its surprise was evident. This wasn't something it had ever felt from the Gogoat Pokémon it had encountered around Casseroya Lake.

'This place is incredible!' Tropius thought, impressed.

Naoki instructed the Gogoats and Oliva to take good care of their new companion, and with his task complete, he prepared to head back to the ranch. The sun was beginning to set, and he needed to start dinner for the Pokémon.

Just as he was about to leave, a faint yet familiar voice echoed from the neighboring Sky Island.

Giratina stirred from its resting place and called out, its tone tinged with exasperation. "You're becoming more and more casual."

Naoki froze for a moment, feeling a slight chill that had nothing to do with the weather. He turned towards the massive Legendary Pokémon, offering a sheepish smile.

Giratina grumbled internally. 'This is my territory! How dare he come and go so freely without consulting me first!'

"…"

Naoki suddenly remembered that the Reverse World was home to a certain temperamental dragon.

Looking at Giratina, he said, "Don't you ever feel lonely living here all by yourself? You should really consider making some friends."

Giratina's eyes narrowed at the comment. If it got this upset over a harmless remark, Naoki wondered how on earth he could ever convince Giratina to accept a Rotom Phone in the future. The poor Rotom would likely be too frightened to function properly around the Legendary Pokémon.

Of course, Giratina would never admit to feeling lonely. Instead, it let out a thunderous roar to mask its true emotions.

"Lonely?! Me?! Don't be ridiculous! I've lived like this for tens of thousands of years—I don't need anyone!" Giratina declared, its voice laced with indignation.

Despite its bluster, there was an odd familiarity and warmth in the way Giratina looked at Naoki.

Naoki, unsure of Giratina's mood, decided to take a gamble. He floated closer to Flower Sky Island, extending his hand toward the legendary Pokémon.

"Let me try something," Naoki said.

Giratina regarded him with suspicion, but before it could react, Naoki activated his Dragon Power.

A warm, soothing energy surged through Giratina's massive form, causing its golden eyes to widen in shock.

"Bold human! What have you done?!" Giratina demanded, though its tone betrayed a mix of confusion and wonder.

Naoki smiled as he gently ran his hand along Giratina's sleek, shadowy scales. "I'm thanking you. This is a power I recently awakened—it's especially effective with Dragon-type Pokémon. And since you're a Dragon-type, I thought I'd give it a try."

He carefully massaged Giratina, channeling the calming energy. Despite its initial protests, Giratina eventually relaxed under the touch, its tension melting away.

When the massage ended, Giratina looked almost dazed, as if it had just woken from a pleasant dream.

"Fine. You may go. Since you've been so considerate, I'll overlook your intrusion today," Giratina said, trying to maintain an air of dignity despite its evident satisfaction.

Naoki stifled a chuckle. 'So even Legendary Pokémon can't resist a good massage.'

Although his Dragon Power wasn't strong enough to make Giratina any more powerful, it was heartening to know it could help win the Pokémon's favor.

With a respectful bow, Naoki said goodbye and made his way back to the ranch.

.....

The snowfall in the Alliance Calendar year 199 came earlier than expected.

By the next morning, delicate snowflakes were floating down from the gray sky, blanketing the world in white.

Thankfully, Naoki had prepared the ranch well in advance.

The Combee and Butterfree were relocated to the warm glass greenhouse. The Gogoats and Arboliva were sent to the World Tree on Sky Island, while the Miltanks cozied up in the Pokémon House. The Garganacl retreated to their underground caves, shielded from the chill.

Naoki also moved the Wooloo into the Pokémon House alongside the Miltanks and invited Snorlax into the living room, where it sprawled contentedly on the floor.

With heavy snow falling outside, there was no work to be done. Naoki decided to take the rare opportunity to relax at home with his Pokémon.

Inside, Slugma kept the house warm by channeling heat through vents. Pawmot floated by one of the vents, feeding fruits to the Slugma.

The Eevees, with their thick winter coats, played rambunctiously in the room. Some were perched on Snorlax's belly, chatting happily, while others stared out the window at the falling snow, their little faces pressed against the glass.

Cyclizar and Koraidon lay by the fireplace, basking in the warmth. Nearby, the sibling Indeedee tended to their tasks, ensuring everything was in order.

Meanwhile, Calyrex sat on the sofa, watching TV with a regal air. Ogerpon and Gholdengo occupied themselves on the second floor, sharing Ogerpon's old mask.

Farfetch'd rested nearby, its precious leek held close. Dragonite, having worked tirelessly throughout the year, had been sent back to Dragonite Island with a bag of treats as its year-end bonus.

Naoki lounged on the sofa, fiddling with his Rotom Phone, trying to coax the Rotom inside to chat with him.

Outside, the heavy snow created a serene, frosty landscape. Suddenly, the skies were pierced by the figure of a Zapdos cutting through the stormy clouds.

On its back were two small Pokémon: Teddiursa and Mew.

As the ranch came into view, their faces lit up with anticipation. 'Home at last,' they thought, eager to reunite with Naoki and the rest of their friends.