Chapter 88: Unseen Encounter
Miltank couldn't help but be baffled. 'Why would such a cute and petite Pokémon use such a brutal move?!' The sheer power of the attack had left Miltank confused, puzzled, and questioning everything.
Naoki, on the other hand, fell into deep thought. The move Skiddo had just performed was impressive, but it didn't seem to match the descriptions of either Frenzy Plant or Power Whip. It felt more like an extreme manifestation of Vine Whip, pushed to its limits.
'This might be due to the abundant grass-type energy within my Skiddo,' Naoki speculated. 'Perhaps the sheer amount of energy is causing a transformation.'
As he looked at the three glowing Skiddo, Naoki began to suspect that they were on the verge of evolution. The glow could be a sign that they were about to transform into Gogoat. The idea of how powerful they might become after evolving filled Naoki with anticipation.
Gradually, as the grass-type energy in the Skiddo was consumed, the green light surrounding them began to fade.
Naoki decided it was time to introduce Miltank properly. He turned to the Skiddo and said, "This is Miltank. She just arrived at the ranch yesterday and is still getting used to the environment. I'm counting on you to take care of her."
"Meah..." The three Skiddo bleated happily, accepting the task with enthusiasm. They seemed excited about the prospect of welcoming a new friend.
"Great, that's what I like to hear," Naoki said, nodding in satisfaction.
With Miltank now in good company, Naoki decided it was time to head to town and inquire about an automatic milking machine. The thought of manually milking multiple Miltank for hours on end was daunting, and he knew he needed a more efficient solution.
Naoki put his tools back into the utility room and made his way to the front of the ranch. There, he saw the Cyclizar playfully chasing butterflies on the grass.
"Cyclizar, accompany me to town," Naoki called out.
The Cyclizar stopped in its tracks, Slowly lying down and transforming into its motorcycle form.
"Gah~" it responded, ready to go.
Just as Naoki was about to hop on, a loud roar echoed through the area.
"Ah, gah!"
Naoki and the Cyclizar turned to see Koraidon approaching, looking determined. But as it got closer, its expression turned to one of mild frustration as it complained, "Ah gah!"
Naoki suddenly remembered that he had ridden Cyclizar yesterday, which meant it was Koraidon's turn today.
He slapped his forehead in realization, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry about that, Koraidon. There's been so much going on at the ranch that I forgot".
"Ah, gash!" Koraidon exclaimed, quickly forgiving him.
Since it had just been helping with the milk earlier, Koraidon switched from its combat mode to its riding mode. Now, with a bit of swagger, it turned and gestured for Naoki to get on, clearly relishing its role.
Naoki climbed on, a bit helpless but amused by Koraidon's demeanor.
Cyclizar, meanwhile, looked on with a disappointed expression.
"Gah..." it sighed softly.
Naoki could only shake his head. 'Thank goodness Dragonite isn't as clingy as these two,' he thought. 'Choosing between three eager Pokémon for transportation would be a real dilemma.'
'Perhaps this is one of the small challenges of having so many Pokémon around?' Naoki mused. He knew he was fortunate that none of his Pokémon were overly possessive, which would have made things much more complicated.
Faced with the distressed Cyclizar, Naoki gently comforted the creature until it regained its usual spirit and eagerly went off to chase butterflies in the grass.
Sitting on Koraidon's back, Naoki sighed weakly, "I'm so exhausted. I can barely keep going."
Koraidon flexed its powerful claws and started running towards town. Hearing Naoki's words, it turned its head slightly, letting out a curious, "Ah, gah?"
Naoki suddenly had a thought. "Koraidon, do you think humans could ever learn to create shadow clones like some Pokémon do?"
According to some theories, humans in this world are considered a type of Pokémon too, right? There have even been stories of humans marrying Pokémon and having children. That's honestly kind of terrifying.
Reflecting on that, Naoki muttered to himself, "Even if I'm not one to judge others' preferences, I'd still recommend seeing a doctor."
Koraidon couldn't provide a definite answer, of course. But Naoki had asked the question more out of idle curiosity than anything else, not expecting a serious answer.
Now, his focus shifted to his own arms. After spending the whole day working on the ranch, drinking high-calorie MooMoo Milk, and eating sizzling steaks, he noticed he had put on some weight since he first arrived in this world. Milking Skiddo had also given his arms a good workout. Naoki felt that if this kept up, he might end up looking like a strong country farmer.
Just then, a young man in a baseball cap, with a Fuecoco perched on his shoulder, ran by on the roadside.
Naoki thought it was a bit strange. Do young people nowadays run with their heads held high without even watching where they're going?
Watching the young man's energetic pace, Naoki couldn't help but sigh, "Time really flies, I'm not a kid anymore."
...
"Fuecoco, did you see something just run past us?" the young man in the baseball cap asked, stopping in his tracks to glance back at the country road, confusion evident in his eyes.
The Fuecoco on his shoulder opened its mouth, a small wisp of flame puffing out of its nostrils.
"That's weird. Was it just my imagination?" Max murmured. Shrugging off his doubts, he turned his attention back to the Fletchling flying leisurely in the sky. "Never mind, the most important thing right now is catching that Fletchling!"
Fletchling, a Normal and Flying-type Pokémon, evolves into the very cool Talonflame. It was now the third day since Max had set out from Naranja Academy. He had spotted this Fletchling during his travels near town and had been following it ever since, hoping to eventually catch a Fletchling.
This was a rustic country road, with sparse trees and grass lining both sides. Though a few wild Pokémon lived in the area, Max wasn't interested in them. His sole focus was on the Fletchling.
The Fletchling had now landed on a large tree. Seeing this, Max's heart raced with excitement.
"Great opportunity! Fuecoco, use Ember!" Max commanded, barely pausing to catch his breath.
The Fuecoco took aim, a small flame gathering in its mouth before shooting out toward the Fletchling.
"Fwoosh!"
The Ember attack missed its mark, the noise startling the Fletchling. It quickly scanned the area, then flapped its wings and took off.
"Ah! I missed!" Max groaned in frustration, clenching his teeth.
But the image of himself soaring through the skies of the Paldea region on a magnificent Talonflame filled his mind, reigniting his determination.
"Keep chasing it!" he urged Fuecoco as they took off running once again.
Soon, a fenced pasture appeared ahead. The Fletchling flew inside and landed on the roof of a wooden house.
Max stopped at the entrance of the ranch, noticing a sign overhead with the words "Naoki's Ranch" written on it. His eyes then wandered inside.
What caught his attention next was a Dragonite standing near a field, seemingly praying for rain.
Max's eyes widened in amazement. "Is that… a Dragonite?!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone