That evening, Naoki returned from a full day at the Levincia Gym.
As he approached the ranch, something unusual caught his eye.
On the roof of the chicken coop, the Meltan were curled up in a cozy ring around Pawmot, all of them napping peacefully in the orange glow of the setting sun.
"Huh?"
Naoki tilted his head in surprise. Since when did Pawmot get along this well with the Meltan?
He didn't have to wonder long; Gholdengo floated over and chirped a quick explanation, filling him in on the day's events.
After hearing the story, Naoki was left speechless.
"What is happening to this ranch?"
Is this a retirement program for heroes from Galar? he wondered.
Calyrex had already taken up farming.
Glastrier and Spectrier, once proud steeds of legend, now worked as ranch hands tending the Pokémon paddocks.
And now Melmetal—Meltan!—had become the ranch's official egg collectors.
"At this rate," Naoki muttered, "what's next? Zacian and Zamazenta as ranch guards at the front gate?"
The thought was both hilarious and oddly charming.
Of course, he knew that wouldn't happen. Zacian and Zamazenta still had their duties to fulfill. After helping defeat Eternatus, they'd likely return to the Slumbering Weald and resume their quiet guardianship, just as they had a thousand years ago.
Still… it was funny to imagine.
Despite some early chaos, the Meltan had settled into ranch life better than anyone expected.
And for some reason, maybe because Pawmot's little hammer was once imbued with Calyrex's kingly aura, the Meltan followed him with unwavering respect and admiration.
...
Every morning, the Meltan cheerfully follow Pawmot to the chicken coop to help collect eggs.
Calyrex often stands quietly nearby, observing them from a distance.
The gentle look in his eyes makes it clear: he's proud of the Meltan.
Because here, there is no darkness. No crisis. Just warmth, companionship, and Pokémon friends to play with.
Sometimes, Calyrex thinks, forgetting the past isn't such a sad thing after all.
As winter arrived, the temperatures began to drop.
In mid-November of League Calendar 202, the first heavy snowfall blanketed the region, just in time for the inaugural tournament of the Paldea League.
Naoki stayed home to watch the entire event on TV.
Across the headquarters of the Paldea League, Trainers from all over the world gathered to compete in a dazzling, high-stakes showdown.
Thanks to Paldea's natural beauty and the global popularity of Terastallization, the tournament's buzz easily outshone even the classic Indigo League in Kanto. With the influx of tourists, the entire Paldea region enjoyed a booming winter season.
Business thrived. Spirits were high.
As the yearly Gym Challenge wrapped up, Gym Leaders across the region officially entered their off-season. Even Naoki, acting Gym Leader of Levincia, had a little breathing room.
Another snowstorm was on the way.
Early in the morning, Naoki moved the beehives into the glass greenhouse for the winter.
The greenhouse was fitted with a temperature-controlled heating system that ran around the clock. Inside, the air was warm and fragrant, and the flowers remained in full bloom despite the snowstorm outside.
Combee and Butterfree fluttered gently through the warm air, basking in the safe and sunny space.
Naoki had already stockpiled enough sweet honey and nectar to last them the entire season.
After checking on the greenhouse, Naoki stepped outside. A cold wind carrying snowflakes whipped across his face, making him rub his hands for warmth.
Walking beside him was Koraidon.
"Let's head home," Naoki said, teeth chattering.
"Ah! Gah!" Koraidon chimed in cheerful agreement.
The two trudged back through the snow and slipped inside, shutting the door behind them and cutting off the howling wind.
The house was toasty warm.
A network of pipes ran through the walls, channeling heat from a Lava Plume-fueled furnace powered by Slugma. The warmth reached every room, wrapping the entire house in a cozy embrace.
Naoki was just about to take off his boots when Iono hurried over to him.
She gently brushed the snow off his coat and asked with concern, "How's everything in Alola?"
"It's all set," Naoki replied with a smile. "I spoke to Kiawe this morning. He agreed to keep managing the ranch there through the winter."
"That's a relief," Iono said with a gentle sigh.
This year, Naoki had decided not to spend the winter in Alola like they usually did.
It was nearly December, and with Iono's due date approaching, the journey would be far too risky.
It wasn't worth taking chances.
Instead, they'd spend the season together at Tree House Ranch.
Thanks to the Slugma, insulation upgrades, and a stockpile of cold-proof Pokémon food, they wouldn't be missing the tropics.
Iono was entering her third trimester now, and her belly had grown considerably. Even simple tasks had become difficult.
Thankfully, Naoki and Indeedee were there to take care of everything.
As Koraidon happily flopped down near the fireplace, Naoki helped Iono settle into her favorite spot on the couch, tucking a warm blanket around her.
"Where's Sylveon?" she asked, looking around.
"Still training with Articuno at the World Tree," Naoki replied, eyes twinkling.
Sylveon was more determined than ever.
In its quest to defeat Dragon-type opponent and become a true hero, Sylveon had committed to intense winter training.
Every day, it traveled to the World Tree to withstand Articuno's Ice Beam and Blizzard. It was enduring cold and hardship just like the great martial arts master Urshifu had once done.
The seeds brought back by Mew and Teddiursa were still safely stored by Naoki. He was saving them for Sylveon, waiting for the moment when Sylveon's strength would reach a new threshold.
"Will Teddiursa and the others be back soon?" Iono asked, her voice filled with hope.
Naoki nodded. "Yeah, they called yesterday. They're already on their way back."
"That's wonderful," Iono beamed. "Then we can all celebrate the New Year together!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement—this would be her first New Year on the ranch since getting married.
Naoki smiled. But then, another thought crossed his mind.
It was the end of the year… so the main story arc in the Unova region should have wrapped up by now, right?
The past two months had been a blur. Between managing the gym and running the ranch, he hadn't had much time to pay attention to Unova's affairs.
Still, he wasn't too worried. After all, Reshiram and Zekrom were both in his care now. No matter how wild Team Plasma got, there wasn't much they could pull off without the legendary dragons.
Feeling curious, Naoki pulled out his Rotom Phone and searched for the latest news on Team Plasma.
It didn't take long for something to pop up.
[Revealed! Team Plasma exposed as a dangerous cult! Interpol infiltrates and gathers decisive evidence, Leader Ghetsis and other executives arrested!]
"Huh?" Naoki blinked. "Interpol stepped in?"
That was unexpected.
But… what about N?
He scrolled down, trying to find any updates on N, but there was nothing. Not a word.
Still, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. At least the crisis in Unova was over, and Alder could finally catch his breath.
It was a good outcome overall.
As this year came to a close, the calendar would soon flip to League Year 203. That meant Ash's journey would bring him to the Kalos region, and a whole new adventure would begin.
Team Flare… Lysandre… the Life Pokémon Xerneas, the Destruction Pokémon Yveltal, and the Order Pokémon Zygarde.
Soon, the world would bear witness to the miracle of Mega Evolution.
It was just a shame, Naoki thought, that only a few of his Pokémon on the ranch were capable of it.
Still… Naoki couldn't deny it.
Deep down, he really wanted a Mega Evolution bracelet, just to finally fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a Mega Evolution Trainer.
But aside from Mega Evolution, there was something else tugging at his curiosity.
Hoopa.
He wants to invite Hoopa to join the ranch, so that he can use Hoopa's portal to travel freely around the world.
...
Bonus @2000
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