Pokemon: A New Path

Chapter 343: 342



Naoki confirmed his plans for the trip to Unova and quickly got to work.

The most pressing task was preparing the food for Farfetch'd. Since the trip would last at least a week, he needed to ensure that the Pokémon would be well-fed in his absence. Farfetch'd required three meals a day, each consisting of three servings of fruit platters. This added up to nine servings daily, or sixty-three portions for seven days.

Realizing the fruits at home weren't sufficient, Naoki headed to the orchard and picked several baskets of fresh produce. He spent the better part of the day slicing and arranging the fruits into the platters Farfetch'd liked best.

In the living room, Naoki carefully stacked the platters into the refrigerator, turning to the Indeedee siblings standing by for instructions.

"I'll be gone for a few days," he began, "so these platters will be Farfetch'd's meals. Remember to give it three servings in the morning, noon, and evening-no more, no less." He gave them a serious look. "If you give it too much at once, Farfetch'd might overeat and end up becoming the first Pokémon in history to die from being too full. Let's avoid that."

"Ai-ai!" the older Indeedee replied with a nod.

"Ai-ai!" echoed the younger one.

Satisfied, Naoki smiled. "Good. I'm leaving everyone here in your care. If anything comes up that you can't handle, consult with Calyrex. And if Mew or Teddiursa brings home more gifts or Pokémon, let them settle here for now. We'll sort everything out when I return."

Both Indeedees nodded in understanding, their usual efficiency on display.

Naoki then headed to the training area to find Farfetch'd, who was busy practicing sword techniques on a battered wooden dummy. The Pokémon gripped its leek like a blade, striking with sharp precision. The rhythmic sound of each slash echoed across the ranch.

Naoki stood back with his arms crossed, observing the diligent Pokémon until Farfetch'd noticed him and paused mid-strike.

"How's it going?" Naoki asked with a smile. "Mastered any new moves yet?"

"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd nodded once, then shook its head.

The nod meant that training was going smoothly, but the shake indicated that no new techniques had been mastered.

Farfetch'd had been through this cycle countless times. It often learned powerful moves during training sessions, only to forget them by the next day. Still, through repetition, its mastery of fundamental techniques had improved immensely.

"Show me," Naoki encouraged, stepping back to give Farfetch'd room.

Farfetch'd nodded with determination. Taking its leek in hand, it assumed a battle stance. Its eyes sharpened, and in the blink of an eye, it activated Double Team, creating shadowy duplicates of itself. In perfect synchronization, the clones surrounded the wooden dummies, each drawing its leek with swift precision.

A dazzling white light enveloped the blades, followed by a synchronized execution of Slash. The wooden dummies shuddered under the force of the attack before splintering into pieces. As the clones vanished, Farfetch'd stood tall, its leek sheathed, exuding confidence.

Naoki's eyes lit up. "That was incredible! Combining Double Team with a precise strike... but... it feels like it's missing something."

Farfetch'd tilted its head quizzically. "Farfetch'd?"

Naoki explained, "After a move like that, you could follow up by rushing forward, using the momentum to leap, and striking from above."

Farfetch'd's eyes glimmered with inspiration. It turned its attention to the remains of the wooden dummy, gripping its leek tightly as it replayed Naoki's words in its mind.

After a moment of stillness, Farfetch'd sprang into action. It rushed forward, blade glowing with energy as it executed another precise strike. This time, instead of stopping, it used the momentum to leap upward, twisting elegantly in the air. With its leek raised high, it brought the blade down in a powerful overhead slash, landing gracefully on the ground.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Alder, watching from behind, clapped his hands in admiration. "Beautiful! I didn't expect you to have such a unique insight into swordsmanship!"

Naoki stayed silent for a moment. Could he admit that this inspiration came from a certain two-word weapon he'd once read about? Probably not.

Still, it was a shame that Farfetch'd didn't know how to use Detect. If it could master that skill while sheathing its leek, it might perfectly anticipate an opponent's next move and defend itself—just like the Mikiri Counter technique with a katana.

Farfetch'd held its leek tightly and replayed the movements in its mind, clearly inspired. Its eyes sparkled with excitement as it turned to Naoki.

"Quack!" it exclaimed, as if to say, 'This feels just right!'

Naoki smiled and nodded. "Keep at it!"

Farfetch'd responded with a determined nod, its enthusiasm palpable.

Naoki glanced at the broken wooden dummies littering the ground. He made a mental note to call Kelly later to repair them. But before that, he had something important to say to

Farfetch'd.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Naoki said. "I'll need to be away for a few days. But don't worry-I've prepared plenty of fruit platters for you, and the Indeedees will make sure you're fed on

time."

Farfetch'd froze, momentarily stunned.

"Don't worry," Naoki reassured it. "I'll be back soon. Just keep practicing while I'm gone, alright?"

"Farfetch'd!"

Farfetch'd nodded, though its expression revealed a tinge of reluctance.

Having set Farfetch'd's mind at ease, Naoki returned to his room to pack for the trip. But no sooner had he started than a commotion erupted. Ogerpon and a few other Pokémon came rushing in, clearly eager to join the preparations.

"Oge! Pon!"

Ogerpon's starry eyes sparkled with excitement as it pointed to Naoki's bag.

Naoki blinked in surprise. "What's up?"

Ogerpon gestured at the luggage, bouncing slightly in place.

"Pon!"

It clicked. "You want to come with me?" Naoki asked.

Ogerpon nodded enthusiastically. "Oge!"

"Well..." Naoki considered for a moment before smiling. "Of course, you can come!"

At this, Alcremie and Glaceon, who had followed Ogerpon into the room, also perked up. Their longing gazes made their wishes clear.

"Alcremie..." Alcremie murmured softly.

"Buyi..." Glaceon added, its bright eyes full of hope.

Naoki chuckled and gently patted their heads. "You two can come as well. I'd love to bring you

along."

Their reactions were instantaneous. Alcremie hopped with joy, and Glaceon's eyes lit up, its tail wagging slightly in excitement.

Naoki resumed packing, adding, "If there's anything you'd like to bring with you, go grab it

now. I'll pack it for you."

He was referring to their favorite toys, as every Pokémon on the ranch had something special Naoki had gifted them from town.

The three Pokémon scampered off to collect their treasures.

Glaceon darted toward its ice cave, determined to bring its prized Ice Stone along. But the stone was larger than it was, and Glaceon soon realized it couldn't budge it on its own.

Reluctantly, it turned to Cyclizar for help.

Alcremie trotted over to the refrigerator, her eyes lighting up as she spotted her favorite treats inside. She motioned for Koraidon to help her open the heavy door. Once open, she carefully pulled out several small cakes, delicately placing them into her little bag, clearly

preparing for a delicious journey.

Meanwhile, Ogerpon headed toward the room where the four masks were stored.

This wasn't out of fear-it was because its true power lay hidden within the masks. Only when

it donned one could it unlock its full potential.

Ogerpon had a quiet determination. Naoki didn't fully realize how powerful it was, but Ogerpon thought, 'If trouble arises during our trip, I'll wear the mask and fight for him.'

Before long, the three Pokémon returned to Naoki, each holding their chosen item.

Naoki glanced at the enormous Ice Stone cradled awkwardly in Cyclizar's arms and sighed. "Are you sure you want to take that with you?" he asked Glaceon, his tone laced with both

amusement and concern.

"Buyi~!" Glaceon nodded eagerly. The Ice Stone was its favorite treasure.

Naoki hesitated. "But... it's enormous. Carrying it around will be such a hassle."

Glaceon blinked, its expression shifting as it glanced at the others and then back at its

precious stone. It seemed to weigh the pros and cons.

"Bui..." It finally admitted with a soft sigh that the stone might indeed be too large for the

trip.

"It'll be safe here at the ranch," Naoki reassured. "No one's going to steal it." Glaceon hesitated a moment longer before reluctantly agreeing, leaving the Ice Stone behind. Naoki and Cyclizar both sighed in relief-especially Cyclizar, as the stone's chill had been biting through its scales. It quickly returned the stone to the ice cellar and then retreated to the warmth of the fireplace, curling up beside the Slugma to defrost.

Naoki tucked Alcremie's cakes safely into his bag. But when his gaze landed on the four masks Ogerpon was holding, he couldn't hide his surprise. "You want to bring those with you?" he

asked.

Naoki hesitated before adding gently, "The people in the Unova region won't judge you. You don't need a mask to hide yourself. And no matter what, I'm here with you." Ogerpon shook its head vigorously, realizing Naoki had misunderstood. With a determined gleam in its eyes, it pulled out a fiery red mask and placed it over its face.

Naoki watched, his curiosity growing. Then, to his astonishment, Ogerpon's form began to

change.

A wave of intense heat radiated from the mask, enveloping Ogerpon in a blazing aura. Its vibrant green coat transformed into a fierce, flame-like red, and its entire demeanor shifted. The fiery energy that coursed through its body was palpable, filling the room with a crackling

heat.

"Pon!" Ogerpon stood tall, exuding power and confidence in its transformed state. Naoki stared, wide-eyed. "Your appearance... it's completely different!" He muttered to himself, "This isn't just a change in looks. Your attributes have shifted, too. Fire-type? Or

maybe Fire and Grass?"

Ogerpon beamed with pride, clearly pleased by Naoki's reaction. Then, as if to demonstrate further, it removed the fiery red mask and replaced it with a blue, water-themed one. Ogerpon's coat shimmered and transformed into a deep blue hue, reminiscent of flowing water. Its attributes shifted once again-this time, it seemed to take on the Water type. Naoki's curiosity was piqued. "What about the stone-like mask?" he thought aloud.

As Ogerpon donned the sturdy, earth-toned mask, Naoki quickly deduced the result. Its attributes shifted yet again-this time to Rock type.

"What's going on?" Naoki muttered, his mind racing. His thoughts turned to the Crystal

fragments he had fished out from Luminous Lake some time ago. Could those fragments be

the key?

"Oge~"

Ogerpon chirped happily, snapping Naoki out of his thoughts. It removed the mask and handed all four to Naoki, motioning for him to pack them in his bag.

Naoki reached out and took them, still processing the revelation. Until now, he had assumed these masks were mere accessories. But it turned out they held incredible power-power that could amplify Ogerpon's strength and even change its type. Naoki gazed at Ogerpon with newfound respect. 'This Pokémon truly is extraordinary.'

Taking a deep breath, Naoki carefully tucked the masks into his backpack. He then moved to

the Poké Ball rack in the living room, retrieving the Poké Balls of Alcremie, Glaceon, and Ogerpon, preparing to take them along for the journey.

This time, in addition to these three Pokémon, Naoki decided to bring Koraidon, Cyclizar,

Flutter Mane, Pawmot, and Dragonite. Alder had mentioned that Lance might attend the

dinner, and Naoki couldn't pass up the opportunity. If there was a chance, he wanted to test Dragonite's strength against Lance's renowned team to see how far his own Dragonite had come and how it compared to a Champion-level Pokémon.

Despite living on the ranch, where battles were rare, Naoki was eager to uncover Dragonite's

true potential.

The next morning, Naoki and Alder bid farewell to everyone at the ranch and embarked on

their journey to the Unova region. They boarded a Flying Taxi, which whisked them away to Brewing City.

As they flew, Alder turned to Naoki. "The banquet will be held in Driftveil City," he explained.

"I checked beforehand and found a luxury cruise departing from Paldea that heads straight to Driftveil. We'll take that."

"Sounds good," Naoki replied.

Naoki had no objections to traveling by cruise ship. He much preferred it to flying, especially

since it meant he wouldn't have to check his luggage.

Alder chuckled. "We have a few days before the banquet. During that time, I'll introduce you

to a Pokémon breeder. She'll teach you how to make Pokeblocks."

Naoki nodded, his mind already wandering. The mention of Unova made him think of its iconic trio: Zekrom, Reshiram, and Kyurem. Each represented a distinct element-Zekrom's raw power, Reshiram's graceful elegance, and Kyurem's chilling indifference.

His thoughts lingered on the Three Dragons of Unova, some of the most impressive Dragon-

type Pokémon in existence. As a lover of both cuddly Pokémon like Pawmot and majestic dragons, Naoki couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked, "By the way, Mr. Alder, are there any powerful legendary Pokémon in the Unova region?"