Pokemon: A New Path

September, year 203 of the Pokémon League calendar—Autumn.

Time had gently shifted into autumn. Leaves on the trees began to turn golden, and the entire Paldea region celebrated a plentiful harvest.

As Champion of the Paldea Pokémon League, Geeta was among the first to hear this wonderful news.

Reports arrived from every corner of the region, describing abundant crops and remarkable quality. Fruits ripened perfectly round and plump on trees, and grains in the fields grew lush and full. Dishes made from this bounty quickly became popular, captivating food enthusiasts everywhere.

News of Paldea's bountiful harvest even attracted attention from other regions, which soon began reaching out, eager to import Paldean produce.

Geeta was delighted by the news. Though she didn't fully understand the cause, she suspected it had something to do with Calyrex, the King of Bountiful Harvests.

The flourishing state of Paldea today owed much to Naoki bringing Calyrex to his ranch.

The thriving agriculture and booming tourism had significantly boosted Paldea's economy, steadily increasing its global status and reputation. Its popularity now rivaled even that of the renowned Unova region.

In her joy, Geeta decided to send Naoki a small token of appreciation.

On September 12th, Naoki was at the ranch taking care of Elara when he spotted Larry making an unexpected visit.

Seeing Larry, Naoki quickly rose in surprise to greet him.

"Larry! What brings you to the ranch today?" Naoki asked warmly.

"Official business," Larry replied, his usual professional demeanor unchanged. He handed Naoki a small gift box. "Champion Geeta asked me to deliver this gift. Now that it's done, I'll take my leave."

Larry nodded briskly, turning to depart as swiftly as he'd arrived.

Naoki watched, slightly bemused.

Clearly, this was yet another task assigned by Geeta.

But why was Geeta sending him another gift?

Curiously opening the gift box, Naoki found it filled with regional specialties, not expensive, but thoughtfully chosen.

Pulling out his Rotom Phone, Naoki quickly messaged Geeta.

[Naoki: Why did you suddenly send me these regional specialties today?]

Geeta replied immediately.

[Geeta: To celebrate, of course!]

[Naoki: Celebrate?]

[Geeta: Paldea's had an amazing harvest this year! Crops everywhere are thriving.]

Reading this, Naoki understood at once.

Geeta still believed Calyrex was the reason for their good fortune! Shaking his head with an amused smile, Naoki thanked her graciously.

After putting the gift safely away, Naoki headed toward the ranch grounds, glancing fondly toward Snorlax Park.

There, a little girl with pink hair and sparkling dark eyes sat cheerfully on a picnic blanket, happily playing with a Psyduck-shaped watering can.

Several Pokémon lounged peacefully beside her, lazily soaking in the afternoon sun.

"Elara!" Naoki called gently, smiling warmly as he approached. "What are you up to, sweetheart?"

Hearing her father's voice, Elara looked up brightly, lifting her Psyduck watering can high above her head with an excited babble.

"Woo-wow!"

Naoki's heart melted. His daughter was just too precious.

It had already been nine months since Elara was born. In that time, the tiny, wrinkled little bundle had grown into a soft, giggling baby girl who could now sit upright and crawl around on her own.

Thinking back to those early days, Naoki felt a surge of pride. He had raised her with his own two hands, every smile, every milestone, every moment was a reward.

Feeling emotional, Naoki sat down on the grass beside her and lowered his voice gently. "Come on, baby. Say 'Daddy'!"

Elara blinked up at him with big curious eyes, not quite understanding.

Lately, both Naoki and Iono had been teaching her to pronounce her first words. There hadn't been much progress yet, but Naoki remained patient and persistent.

He spoke slowly and clearly, demonstrating. "Da-da."

"Ya-ah\\~!" Elara chirped.

"Dad-dad," he repeated.

"Woo-wah!"

Naoki sighed with a laugh. "We'll get there. Can you try again?"

Elara looked determined. She opened her mouth wide as if trying to mimic him.

"Wow!"

Naoki: "…"

Then came a burst of joyful giggles as Elara clapped her little hands together in delight.

Naoki chuckled, then reached beside him and held up a familiar Pokémon. "And this," he said cheerfully, "is Larvesta, your best friend!"

Elara and Larvesta had shared a crib since infancy. The two were inseparable, already used to each other's scent and presence.

The moment she saw Larvesta, Elara squealed with delight and lunged forward to play with it.

Unlike most Bug-type Pokémon, Larvesta's soft, fuzzy body was warm and comforting to the touch, something Elara especially loved.

Larvesta's eyes sparkled with joy as Elara snuggled against it.

Naoki leaned back between Koraidon and Cyclizar, watching the peaceful scene with a relaxed smile.

Unlike humans, Pokémon like Larvesta mature quickly. At nine months, Larvesta was already considered an adult Pokémon.

Naoki planned to begin gently introducing Elara to the world of Pokémon and trainers in a few years, when she could understand better.

By the time she turned ten and began her own journey, he hoped Larvesta would have evolved into a majestic Volcarona, capable of traveling alongside her and protecting her always.

That evening, Iono returned to the ranch after a long day of work.

After dinner, the little family gathered in the living room, sitting comfortably on the sofa while watching Elara crawl happily across the carpet.

"She's over nine months now," Iono noted thoughtfully. "Isn't it about time we started weaning her?"

Naoki nodded. In the Pokémon world, babies are usually weaned between 8 and 12 months, though it all depends on the child's development.

And Elara? She was strong, full of life, and always bursting with energy. It was clear she was ready.

"Let's start tomorrow, then," Naoki agreed.

So the next morning, when Elara woke up and made her usual fuss for milk, Naoki greeted her with a large bottle of fresh Moo Moo Milk.

Since Iono had to work at the Gym each day, she'd been preparing bottles of milk in advance, and Naoki had taken on the job of feeding Elara when needed.

But today, the bottle no longer contained Iono's milk, it had been replaced with Moo Moo Milk from the ranch.

The moment Elara took a sip, her big round eyes blinked suspiciously.

She looked down at the bottle, then up at Naoki with a very pointed stare.

Naoki tried to smile through it. "Come on now! This was specially prepared for you by Mommy!"

Elara took another tentative sip. Her face scrunched up instantly—this definitely wasn't the usual flavor.

She had been tricked!

Her big eyes began to well up with tears. With a pout, she tossed the bottle aside, teetering on the edge of a full-blown wail.

Naoki froze. "Uh-oh…"

"Mommy's already gone to work at the Gym… This is the only milk we have right now," he said, trying to act flustered. "What should we do?"

A second later, Elara let out a piercing cry.

Startled by her distress, Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, who had been peacefully watching nearby, immediately leapt into action.

The three Legendary Beasts surrounded her protectively, each trying in their own way to calm her down.

Entei even turned a firm, judgmental gaze toward Naoki.

Naoki's eyebrow twitched. He sighed inwardly. 'Okay, seriously—who's her real dad here? Me or you three?!'