7:00 PM – Pokémon Tavern

  The Pokémon Tavern was buzzing with life, illuminated by warm, cheerful lights. A diverse group of Pokémon had gathered to unwind, raising their mugs in a celebratory toast. Among them were Pokémon from the nearby town, along with wild Pokémon who had heard of the Tavern's weling atmosphere aured there to join the fun.

  This evening, Naoki had brought Farfetch'd to the Tavern with a specific purpose in mind. He was searg for two "fitness coaches" to help Farfetch'd build its strength. After sing the room, his eyes nded on two t, muscur Machamp sittihe bar, their four powerful arms holding wooden mugs filled with juice.

  These Machamp were regurs at the Tavern, ing every evening to rex after a day of work. As Pokémon who had helped out on the ranch before, they were familiar with Naoki.

  Naoki approached them with a friendly greeting. "Good evening, Machamp."

  The two Machamp turoward him, their expressions curious but weling. "Champ?" one of them rumbled.

  Naoki gestured toward the Farfetch'd beside him and expined, "This little guy wants to get stronger, just like you. I was hoping you could share some of your fitips."

  The Machamp g the determined Farfetch'd and quickly uood. Their kied nature made it impossible to refuse such a request. They nodded enthusiastically, their four arms flexing in unison.

  "Champ!" the pair agreed cheerfully.

  The Evening

  True to their word, the Machamp returo the Tavern the evening with several pairs of dumbbells in tow. They approached Naoki and Farfetch'd, ready to begiraining session.

  One of the Machamp lifted a dumbbell with each arm, raising them high overhead before l them back down in a smooth, trolled motioing this movement several times, it demonstrated the proper teique to Farfetch'd. The exercise was clearly desigo build arm strength, and the Machamp performed it effortlessly.

  Farfetch'd watched ily, its eyes shining with determination.

  After a few repetitions, the Machamp set the dumbbells down in front of Farfetch'd and motioned for the bird Pokémon to give it a try.

  Farfetch'd approached the dumbbells with curiosity. They were bck, sleek, and unlike anything it had seen before. Inspired by the ease with which Machamp had lifted them, Farfetch'd fpped its wings fidently and grasped the bar.

  "Farfetch'd !" it quacked as it straio lift the dumbbells.

  However, the weights didn't budge—not even an inch. Farfetch'd pushed harder, its beak ched tightly iermination, but the effort was futile. Exhausted, it plopped onto the floor, panting heavily.

  "Farfetch'd …" it muttered dejectedly.

  Naoki crouched down to examihe dumbbells and was stunned when he saw the specifications. "Wait a mihese weigh 300 kilograms?!"

  He g the Machamp, who had been lifting one in each hand earlier. That meant they had been effortlessly handling a total of 1,200 kilograms, or nearly 2,400 pounds, at once.

  "As expected of Machamp…" Naoki muttered ihat's insane."

  The Machamp, notig Farfetch'd's struggle, exged puzzled ghey scratched their heads, clearly realizing they had overestimated Farfetch'd's capabilities. After a moment of thought, one of them brightened, an idea sparking in its eyes.

  "Champ!" it decred, l itself to the ground and demonstrating a new exercise: push-ups.

  The Machamp used all four of its arms for stability, its powerful muscles flexing as it moved up and down with ease. It theured for Farfetch'd to follow suit.

  Farfetch'd hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Farfetch'd !" Determio succeed, it positioself on the ground and began imitating Machamp's movements, using its wings to support its body.

  The Machamp watched closely, correg Farfetch'd's form when necessary. Once Farfetch'd got the hang of it, the Machamp nodded approvingly. "Champ!" they said in unison, their smiles wide.

  Naoki, watg the se unfold, couldn't help but feel grateful. "Thank you," he said warmly. "The drinks are oonight—sider it my treat."

  When Naoki first opehe Pokémon Tavern, his goal was simple: to create a safe and weling space where Pokémon could gather, rex, and support one another. He didn't charge for drinks or services, aiming io help Pokémon in need.

  What he hadn't anticipated was that many of the Pokémon visiting the Tavern had trainers or families of their own.

  For instance, Officer Jenny's Growlithe, Kelly's Machamp, and the fire brigade's Quaquaval… all of them had bee regur visitors at the Pokémon Tavern.

  Initially, both Officer Jenny and Kelly were surprised to learn that their Pokémon were frequenting the Tavern for drinks. However, they quickly came to accept it. After all, their Pokémon, Machamp and Growlithe, could and drink for free every day. To cover the costs, Officer Jenny and Kelly started giving their Pokémon small ge each m before sending them off, instrug them to pay the attendant at the Tavern.

  Wild Pokémon were a different story. Lag mohey improvised. After the town Pokémon handing over currency, the wild Pokémon began mimig this behavior, bringing small s such as fruits, shiny stones, or other treasures from the wilderness as payment. Some vain Pokémon even plucked and preseheir most beautiful feathers as "currency."

  Over time, this became a quirky habit among the Tavern's visitors.

  After Naoki's versation with the Machamp, they gave a cheerful ugh and turned back to their drinks, satisfied with their tribution to Farfetch'd's fitness journey.

  That night marked the start of Farfetch'd's fitness career.

  The very m, Naoki visited Kosaji Tourchased a pair of appropriately sized dumbbells for Farfetch'd. Returning to the ranch, he set them up in the onion garden, which Farfetch'd promptly turned into its personal gym.

  As Farfetch'd trained—lifting dumbbells and doing push-ups—the Psyducks from across the river would waddle over to watch. They stood on the riverbank, their dull eyes fixed oermined duon. After a while, most of the Psyducks would lose i and leave.

  But one Psyduck stayed.

  Naoki couldn't help but notice the way this Psyduck looked at Farfetch'd. Its gaze wasn't just one of curiosity—it had a peculiar softo it.

  It reminded Naoki of Grovyle's infatuated expression toward Nurse Joy's Meganium in the anime.

  "What's going on?" Naoki wondered aloud. "Could this Psyduck be… in love with Farfetch'd?"

  He shook his head at the absurdity of the idea. Psydud Farfetch'd couldn't possibly… Could they? A sudden thought struck him. "Wait, are they even patible egg groups?"

  Uo resist his curiosity, Naoki hurried back to his puter and searched for information about Psydud Farfetch'd's egg groups. The results left him stunned.

  Both Pokémon beloo the Field Egg Group. They could y eggs together.

  Naoki sat ba his chair, overwhelmed. "This is… ued."

  Determio firm his suspis, Naoki spent the few days discreetly Psydud Farfetch'd.

  Farfetch'd maintained a disciplined routine. After eating a few berries in the m, it would patrol the onion garden to ensure no bird Pokémon were stealing its prized crops. Oisfied, it would begin its daily workout—lifting dumbbells, doing push-ups, and honing its strength.

  Psyduck would always show up during Farfetch'd's training sessions, standing quietly by the garden feo watch. Occasionally, it would catch small fish from the river and present them to Farfetch'd as gifts. However, Farfetch'd, focused entirely on its fitness regimen, had no i in the s and politely deed each time.

  Disheartened by the ck of response, Psyduck eventually stopped visiting the onion garden altogether. It returo the riverbank, its steps heavy with disappoi.

  Naoki: "..."

  Just as Naoki was about to leave his observation post he onion garden, a familiar sound startled him.

  "Awoo?"

  Turning, Naoki saw Dragoanding behind him, its rge eyes filled with curiosity. It tilted its head, clearly w why Naoki was crouched behind the garden fence.

  Watg Farfetch'd tirelessly exerg nearby, Naoki couldn't help but feel deeply moved.

  The love and dedication of Pokémon were so pure afelt.

  As this thought crossed his mind, he suddenly remembered something. Turning tonite, he asked with a teasing smile, "Hey, Dragonite, didn't you have a crush on another Dragonite a while back?"

  Naoki vividly recalled Dragonite's awkward attempts to court its crush. The memory onite's clumsy moves, inability to nd any impressive attacks, and its habit of sulking by Casseroya Lake uhe moonlight fshed vividly in his mind.

  Hearing Naoki bring this up, Dragonite visibly stiffened, an embarrassed expression crossing its face.

  "Awoo…" Dragonite growled softly, fpping its wings in an attempt to wave off the past. It let out a long sigh, indig that those days were behind it and that it no longer had feelings for that Dragonite.

  Naoki chuckled. "Alright, alright, I get it. But does this mean you're pnning to be a single Dragonite for the rest of your life? No i in finding another Dragoo raise a family with?"

  Dragonite blinked, startled by the question, before shaking its head vehemently. "Awoo!" it cried out, filing its arms for emphasis.

  "No way! I still have you and everyone else!" Dragonite seemed to say.

  Naoki tilted his head, watg the passionate response. Although he wasn't using a transtor device, he could piece together Dragonite's meaning from its as and tone.

  "So… you're saying you don't care about finding a mate? You're happy living as you are, and when it es to ying eggs, it's all about love, not y?"

  Dragonite nodded, its golden wings ruffling with what looked like pride.

  Naoki leaned back, marveling at the plexity of Pokémoions and social behaviors. "Pokémon really are magical creatures," he murmured.

  After lunaoki headed upstairs to che the Dragonite egg resting in a specially designed crib.

  The egg was enormous, its creamy surface marked with faint blue patterns resembling the scales of a Dratini. The sight of it exuded an undeniable sense of vitality and promise.

  This egg was the result of a pair onites on the ranch who had bonded deeply. Naoki and Indeedees had beerusted with its care.

  As Naoki gazed at the egg, he couldn't help but muse aloud, "I still don't get why those tworust us so much. They just handed over their egg without a sed thought."

  In the wild, it was on for Pokémon parents to guard their eggs fiercely, often refusing to leave them unattended. Yet, these twonites seemed perfectly at ease letting Naoki and his team take responsibility.

  "It's trust," Naoki thought, his heart swelling with gratitude. "They know we'll take care of their child as if it were our own."

  The midday sun streamed through the window, casting a soft glow over the room. Outside, the cheerful sounds of Pokémon pying echoed faintly.

  Naoki kicked off his shoes, sitting cross-legged beside the crib. Gently, he reached out and ran his fingers along the smooth shell of the egg.

  "It's already beewo months si was id," he murmured. Acc to the care guides he had studied, Dragonite eggs had an exceptionally long incubation period, often taking up to ten months to hatch.

  "It's the end of June now," Naoki calcuted. "At this rate, it'll probably hatetime in January year."

  As the cicadas chirped outside the window, their sound resonating through the summer air, Naoki sighed, feeling the unyielding passage of time.

  "Wow, time seems to crawl!" he thought as he listeo the rhythmic buzz.

  He stood and began desding the stairs, wishing that by the time he reached the bottom, he'd somehow skipped ahead to the day when his Rotom Phone project would finally be pleted. Of course, such miracles were impossible.

  At five o'clo the evening, Zack arrived at the ranch as usual, his truck pulling up to collect the day's harvest.

  Naoki was busily s through the crates of fruit, calg the quantities to be sold.

  Watg him work, Zack wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel and grinned. "This ranch has really e a long way! It's hard to believe it's beehan two years since you started. What a transformation!"

  Naoki returhe smile. "It's all thanks to the Pokémon," he said, gng fondly at Koraidon and Cyclizar, who were busy loading crates into the truck.

  Hearing their trainer's praise, Koraidon and Cyclizar perked up a out cheerful cries.

  "Gaao~!"

  "Ah gah~!"

  Zack chuckled at their enthusiasm. "Haha! Koraidon and Cyclizar really are reliable! But you know," he added with a teasing glint in his eye, "it's time you started thinking about settling down. Find yourself a wife, build a family. Life will only get better with someone by your side."

  Naoki froze, blinking at the ued turn in the versation. 'Is Zack seriously trying to set me up?' he wondered. He gave a helpless ugh. "It's a bit early for that, don't you think?"

  "It's not early at all!" Zack tered, his tone shifting into the gossipy enthusiasm of an old friend. "e on, do you at least have someone you like?"

  "No way…" Naoki shook his head.

  'It's not like that. Sure, people in the Pokémon world are good-looking, but retionships aren't just about appearances. It's about the e.'

  He silently ran through the women he'd spoken to since arriving in this world. There weren't many. Kelly, Madame Dantes, Geeta, and Professor Sada were the few that came to mind.

  "None of them are suitable," he muttered under his breath, though his mind lingered for a moment on Iono—the bright, eic girl he'd met by Levincia, who had dragged him off to a local restaurant to try her favorite dishes.

  Zack's voiterrupted his thoughts. "Then how about I introduce you to someone?" His eyes sparkled mischievously. "A friend of mine has a daughter who's also a trainer. She might be a good match. What do you think?"

  "…" Naoki was dumbfounded. Blind dates? In the Pokémon world?

  "No, no, no!" He waved his hands frantically. "I'm not in a rush. Really!"

  "Alright, alright." Zack relehough his grin showed he wasirely vinced. "But if you ge your mind, let me know. I'm sure yrandfather would love to see you settled down."

  Naoki sighed. "Okay. Thanks, Zack."

  With a friendly ugh, Zack helped load the remaining crates into the truck, handed Naoki the payment, and drove off toward town.

  As Zack's truck disappeared down the road, Naoki turned and headed bato the house. His gaze fell on the dar hanging on the wall. It was Juh—tomorrow would be the summer fireworks festival.

  As he started preparing dinner for the Pokémon, Naoki found himself w whioake to the festival.

  ...

  The m, the sky was bright, the air clear and fresh. Naoki was busy milking his Gogoat wheiced sister Indeedee running toward him in a flurry.

  "Ai-ai!" she called out, waving her hands frantically.

  Naoki straightened, startled. "What's wrong?" he asked, setting down the pail. "Did something happen?"

  Indeedee pointed urgently toward the entrance of the ranch.

  Following her dire, Naoki spotted a striking figure standihe gate—a young woman with long, flowing blue hair and pierg ice-blue eyes. She was watg the Dragonite grazing on the grass.

  Sensing Naoki's gaze, the woman turned slightly, her serene expressioing his.

  "Hello. I am Grusha, the Gym Leader of Gseado Gym. I've bee here by the Pokémon League for special training."

  .....

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