Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 410

Chapter 410

Naoki was cautious this time. With so many Pokémon on the ranch, he made sure to make the buns as small as possible to stretch the legendary ingredient. The rainbow feathers from Ho-Oh were large enough that he managed to steam over twenty Sacred Buns.

Though it wasn't enough to feed all the Pokémon on the ranch, Naoki was content that the rare ingredient was being put to its best use. Still, a nagging thought lingered in his mind—What if Ho-Oh discovers I made steamed buns out of its feathers?

Given the lore in the Pokémon games, where rainbow feathers could summon Ho-Oh, it seemed likely the Pokémon might sense the presence of its feather. Naoki grew uneasy. 'Would Ho-Oh come to scold me for using its feather in cooking?'

But then, as a chef who loved creating magical dishes, Naoki couldn't help himself. The feather had too much potential to ignore. He consoled himself, thinking, 'If Ho-Oh does show up and gets upset, I'll apologize. It's worth the risk.'

He admired Ho-Oh's unwavering belief in humanity. Despite leaving Ecruteak City after humans caused destruction, Ho-Oh continued to bestow rainbow feathers upon those it deemed kind-hearted.

Carrying the pot of Sacred Buns, Naoki made his way to the Pokémon frolicking in the snow. His first stop was with the three Eevee brothers—Flareon, Jolteon, and Vaporeon—who needed these buns the most to recover from the deficiencies caused by their premature evolutions.

Flareon, being a Fire-type, stood to gain the most from the Sacred Bun's effects. Jolteon and Vaporeon, while not directly benefitting from the fire-enhancing properties, would still see a boost to their physical fitness and strength.

The three eagerly devoured the buns one after another. Jolteon and Vaporeon didn't exhibit any immediate changes, but Flareon's reaction was dramatic.

"Buiyi?!" Flareon cried out, spinning around nervously as golden-red flames erupted from its body, spiraling uncontrollably into the air.

Startled, Vaporeon instinctively fired a Water Gun at its brother, dousing the flames. White steam hissed and rose into the chilly air.

But before they could relax, another surge of flames burst forth, even fiercer than before. Vaporeon prepared to try again, but Naoki quickly intervened.

"Wait. Don't worry. This won't harm Flareon," Naoki reassured them.

"Buey?" Vaporeon paused, watching intently as Flareon's flames continued to rage. It was as though a volcano had ignited within Flareon.

Flareon's body brimmed with power, its flames crackling with intensity. Heat and energy swirled in its chest, and its cheeks puffed up with the pressure of the fire within. Finally, unable to contain it any longer, Flareon let out a resounding cry and unleashed a stream of flames.

The roaring fire took the form of a massive, serpentine blaze, cutting through the snowy field and melting the ground beneath it. Jolteon and Vaporeon watched in awe.

"Bu Yi!" Jolteon exclaimed. "That's incredible!"

"Buey!" Flareon's face glowed with excitement, clearly reveling in its newfound strength.

Naoki observed the transformation closely. He realized that the Sacred Bun's energy had supercharged Flareon's flames, forcing its body to adapt and reach a higher level of power. The orange-red fur on Flareon's coat now had a darker, richer hue, reminiscent of Entei, one of Ho-Oh's three legendary beasts.

"Well," Naoki said with a satisfied smile, "it seems the Sacred Bun has worked wonders. Their evolutions are now fully optimized."

He said goodbye to them and turned around to go to the World Tree to feed the buns to the three Pokémon of the hero expedition team.

Naoki distributed the three Sacred Buns to the Hero Expedition Team. Zapdos was already waiting by the World Tree, but Mew and Baby Bear were nowhere to be seen.

After calling out to them, Mew and Baby Bear appeared, both looking cheerful and excited. Each Pokémon received one Sacred Bun, and Naoki clapped his hands in satisfaction.

Once the buns were handed out, Naoki asked curiously, "Where were you just now? I didn't see you in the tree."

"Miu!" Mew giggled mischievously, then used its Teleport move.

In an instant, Naoki found himself in a cozy wooden room filled with toys of all shapes and sizes. The surroundings were warm and inviting, yet distinctly part of the World Tree.

When Naoki noticed the playful decor, he immediately realized, "Is this the secret base you built with your Hidden Power?"

"Miu!" Mew nodded enthusiastically, its tiny face lighting up with pride. Baby Bear chimed in with an excited "Teddi~," clearly eager for Naoki's approval.

Naoki looked around the room, impressed by their work. "You've done a great job here! I'll make two small beds for you later so you can sleep comfortably."

"Miumiu!" Mew twirled in excitement, and Baby Bear nuzzled against Naoki, clearly delighted by his promise.

True to his word, Naoki spent the afternoon crafting two small wooden beds from the leftover materials at the ranch. He delivered the beds to the secret base, and Mew and Baby Bear were overjoyed. That night, surrounded by their toys, the two Pokémon slept soundly in their new beds while Zapdos rested on a branch outside the World Tree.

The Hero Expedition Team was finally beginning to feel like a fully-fledged group with a base of operations and consistent supplies. Naoki, however, couldn't help but think of another Pokémon that would make a valuable addition to their team—Hoopa, the Mischief Pokémon.

Hoopa's ability to travel through its rings and create spatial portals would be a game-changer for the Expedition Team. With Hoopa's help, they could instantly reach distant regions like Sinnoh or Kalos.

But Naoki knew that Hoopa was still sealed in the Kalos region. Early the next morning, he gathered the Hero Expedition Team to share Hoopa's story.

"A long time ago," Naoki began, "there was a desert city in the Kalos region where a mischievous Pokémon named Hoopa appeared. Hoopa had the power to summon objects and even Pokémon through its rings. It would often bring food and treasures to the city, making it prosperous and admired by its residents."

The three Pokémon listened intently, their eyes wide with curiosity.

Naoki continued, "But one day, the people of the city wanted to see Hoopa's full strength. They asked it to battle powerful Pokémon, and Hoopa gladly obliged. Using its immense power, Hoopa defeated many Pokémon but caused massive destruction in the process."

He sighed. "The entire city was reduced to rubble. In response, a wise human sealed away Hoopa's true power, forcing it to live in its smaller, less powerful form. The seal also took away its ability to travel freely through its rings."

The team listened in awe, processing the tale of the mischievous yet misunderstood Pokémon. Baby Bear tilted its head and asked, "Teddi?" (What is Hoopa like?)

Naoki smiled and explained, "Hoopa's personality is a lot like yours. It's playful, curious, and mischievous, but deep down, it's kind-hearted. If you ever meet Hoopa on your journey, invite it to join your Expedition Team. I think it would fit right in."

Mew looked a little concerned. "Miu?" (Hoopa is so powerful; won't it destroy our ranch?)

Naoki reassured it, "That's why you need to help Hoopa understand the meaning of friendship and responsibility. If you can do that, Hoopa will likely be able to control its powers."

The prerequisite, of course, was that the Hero Expedition Team would meet Hoopa during their journey.

When Baby Bear heard that Hoopa needed help, it puffed out its chest with determination. "Teddi!" (No problem! We'll do our best to help Hoopa!)

Helping Pokémon in need was, after all, the very mission of the Hero Expedition Team.

After bidding farewell to Baby Bear and Mew, Naoki carried a basket of fruit to the Tropious. While Tropious could sustain itself through photosynthesis as a Grass-type Pokémon, it was important to provide it with real food as well. Neglecting its dietary needs would be irresponsible.

Upon seeing the basket filled with fresh, juicy fruits, Tropious's face lit up with joy. It let out a cheerful cry of gratitude and buried its head into the basket, munching contentedly.

Naoki chuckled as he watched. "Eat as much as you like! If it's not enough, there's plenty more at the ranch!"

With the help of the Gogoats, which emitted powerful Grass energy, the ranch's fruit trees bore fruit remarkably fast. It took only three days for bare branches to become laden with ripe, plump produce. 

Not far away, the Gogoats were happily munching on their grass dumplings. Seeing all the Pokémon with shiny coats and healthy physiques filled Naoki with a deep sense of satisfaction. 

After Tropious finished every last fruit in the basket, Naoki bent down to pick it up. Just as he was about to leave, Tropious lowered its long neck and gently offered the bananas hanging from its chin.

"For me?" Naoki asked, surprised.

Tropious nodded enthusiastically. 

It then proceeded to detach all five bananas from its neck and give them to Naoki. Immediately afterward, its Harvest ability triggered, and two more bananas grew in place. Tropious happily offered those as well.

However, with the ability now in cooldown, no additional fruit grew. Naoki marveled at the sight. Even though he'd witnessed this before, it still felt like magic.

"Pokémon truly are incredible creatures," he muttered to himself, gazing at the basket now filled with the fragrant, golden bananas.

[Tropious Bananas: Freshly picked from Tropious, these bananas are sweet and satisfying. Perfect for culinary creations.]

"Thank you! I love these," Naoki said, gently patting the Tropious on the head.

He bid Tropious farewell and returned to the ranch, his thoughts swirling with ideas. 

"I wonder what kind of dish these bananas will make," Naoki mused as he headed to the kitchen.

After a moment of thought, he decided to prepare a simple yet delectable treat: hot fried bananas. 

First, he peeled the bananas and coated them in an egg wash, followed by a layer of breadcrumbs. Then he heated oil in a pan, waiting until the temperature was just right before carefully placing the bananas into the sizzling oil.

The bananas sizzled and crackled, turning a perfect golden brown as they fried.

Naoki turned off the stove, carefully picked up the fried bananas with chopsticks, and arranged them neatly on a pristine white porcelain plate.

[Fried Banana (C)]

Description: A dish made by frying the fruit harvested from a Tropius's neck. The outer layer is perfectly crispy, while the inside remains soft and tender. The sweetness of the banana is balanced, making it indulgent yet not cloying.

Effect: Accelerates the growth cycle of Tropius's fruit, allowing it to produce ripe bananas at a significantly faster rate.

Comment: As the saying goes, "You are what you eat!"

Naoki stared at the description that appeared in his mind. "Did it really accelerate the growth of Tropius's fruit?" he murmured.

He thought back to the usual growth cycle of Tropius's bananas. Typically, Tropius's fruits ripen twice a year. In the wild, Tropius spreads pollen from its neck flowers during spring and fall, with the bananas reaching full ripeness in summer and winter.

However, this pace was quite slow compared to the production rates of other Pokémon. At the ranch, Tropius consumed large quantities of berries daily, and its fruit output often couldn't keep up with its needs.

Naoki wondered aloud, "How do the Tropius ranches in Alola even turn a profit? They can't possibly sell these bananas at exorbitant prices, can they?"

He dismissed the idea quickly. The Pokédex entry for Tropius mentioned that children in the Alola region commonly enjoyed its bananas as snacks, which meant they were likely affordable.

"I wonder how much faster the fruit grows after eating this," Naoki mused. "Could it increase the yield from two harvests a year to three? Or even four?"

Determined to find out, Naoki carried the fried bananas to Tropius and offered them as a treat. Tropius's eyes lit up as it happily devoured the dish. Naoki also distributed the remaining fried bananas to the other Pokémon in the ranch.

...

In the heart of winter, few people ventured to the countryside, especially trainers. The ranch was quiet, with no visitors aside from the occasional stop by Zack.

Naoki took advantage of this peaceful time. Aside from feeding the Pokémon, there was no pressing work to attend to. He spent his days lounging indoors, enjoying warm tea, petting his furry companions, and occasionally browsing the internet.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the end of the 199th year of the Alliance Calendar.

On the last day of the year, Rotom Technologies officially launched their highly anticipated Rotom Phone. This revolutionary device combined Pokémon encyclopedia capabilities, communication features, and advanced navigation into a single portable gadget.

The Rotom Phone caused an immediate global sensation. In just three days, every unit stocked in major stores was sold out. People rushed to get their hands on the new technology. Some bought it for work, others for its photography capabilities, and many parents purchased it as a gift for children about to embark on their Pokémon journeys.

Those who missed out could only look on with envy, flooding Rotom Technologies with requests for more stock.

Nikar, the CEO of Rotom Technologies, was taken aback by the overwhelming demand. Though he had expected success, the sheer scale of enthusiasm exceeded all predictions. To address the shortage, he held a press conference, promising that the company would ramp up production to ensure everyone could access the new device.

The success of the Rotom Phone sparked a digital revolution. Internet companies across all regions noticed the device's potential and scrambled to develop apps tailored for it.

In no time, a wave of software emerged—communication platforms, dating apps, current affairs forums, video streaming services, live broadcasting apps, and mobile games.

...

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