That afternoon, the couple finally enjoyed a rare day off together.
Taking advantage of the break, Iono invited her parents, who lived far away, to visit the ranch.
It had been a long time since they'd seen Elara, and the moment they arrived and caught sight of her adorable face, they scooped her up into their arms with joy.
Elara, however, had only seen her grandparents a handful of times when she was too young to remember them, so she felt unfamiliar and uneasy in their arms. Her big, round eyes anxiously scanned the area, and when they landed on Naoki, she immediately stretched out her hands toward him, silently asking to return to her father's embrace.
Seeing this made Iono's parents a little heartbroken.
Naoki walked over with a gentle smile and introduced them, crouching beside his daughter: "Elara, this is Grandpa and Grandma. They're part of our family, just like Mommy and Daddy."
To ease her discomfort, Iono's mother brought out a special treat, a box of sweet, creamy milk candies that were popular with local children.
As soon as she unwrapped the package, a rich, delicious scent drifted out into the air.
Elara's curious eyes shifted toward the candy.
"Would you like to try one?" her grandmother asked, holding it out with a warm smile.
Three minutes later, Elara was gleefully playing in her grandparents' arms like they'd never been apart.
Naoki stared at the scene speechlessly.
"She's way too easy to bribe. I'm honestly worried that one day a villain could lure her away with just a piece of candy."
Iono's parents adored their granddaughter. The whole afternoon, they took turns holding her and were reluctant to let go. They took Elara on a little tour of the ranch, showing her the fields and Pokémon, and when it came time to leave, even Elara seemed a bit reluctant to say goodbye.
The couple, too, found it hard to part.
"Why don't you let Elara come to Levincia City for a few days?" Iono's mother suggested hopefully.
Iono chuckled. "Mom, she's still too little. If she spends even one night without us, she'll cry. This morning when Naoki went to teach his class, she almost burst into tears."
"Then why don't you both come visit with her for a couple of days?"
Iono shook her head gently. "Naoki still has to look after the Pokémon at the ranch, and I have to be at the Gym. It's not so easy to leave everything behind."
Naoki nodded in agreement. "When Elara gets a little older, we'll definitely send her to visit you both for a few days. Just don't blame her if she causes a bit of mischief."
"How could we ever blame her?" her grandmother said with a proud smile. "Our Elara is the most well-behaved child I've ever seen! Honestly, Iono wasn't this well-behaved when she was little, she was always running around causing trouble. And she used to wet the bed at night too!"
Iono's face froze.
"Mom."
Naoki tried to stifle his laughter, but Iono caught him in the act and gave his side a sharp pinch from behind.
Her mother chuckled and quickly changed the subject, leaning down to speak gently to Elara. "Elara, Grandma and Grandpa are going home now. When you're older, come visit us, okay?"
Elara blinked up at her with wide eyes, clearly not understanding everything, but sensing the moment, she turned to her dad.
"Say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa," Naoki said gently, lifting her up in his arms and waving.
Elara caught on quickly and cheerfully waved her little hands, mimicking him perfectly. "Bai bai!"
Her grandparents beamed and waved back. "Bye-bye!"
After their departure, Naoki sat on the grass outside, enjoying the milk candies they had brought along.
Larvesta glanced curiously at the basket, clearly interested in the sweet treats.
Naoki squatted down next to Elara and began to gently teach her an important lesson.
"Elara, Larvesta is your good friend. Would you like to share some of your milk candies with it?"
Hearing that, Elara looked thoughtfully at Larvesta, then extended her tiny hand and offered the milk candy she was holding.
Larvesta looked pleasantly surprised and let out a delighted chirp.
"Larvesta is very happy!" Naoki said with a warm smile, encouraging her gently.
Although she didn't quite understand why, Elara could feel the happiness in her father's voice and from the Pokémon's joyful reaction.
So, the little girl furrowed her brow in concentration, then wobbled to her feet. Holding another piece of milk candy in her tiny hand, she staggered over and handed it to Naoki.
Naoki blinked in surprise, then smiled and crouched down to accept it.
"Thank you, Elara. Daddy loves it very much."
Elara let out a happy squeal, clearly proud of herself. She glanced back at the basket, grabbed another candy, and looked around.
Then, with determined little crawls, she made her way toward the Legendary Beasts, Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, who sat quietly nearby.
As Elara approached, the three sacred Pokémon suddenly tensed, unsure what to do. They held their breath, muscles stiff.
But Elara just plopped down in front of them with a happy babble, held up a piece of candy with both hands, and offered it to them.
Entei's mighty heart softened.
He leaned in gently, careful not to scare her, and took the candy from her hand with a warm flick of his tongue. A wave of sweet warmth bloomed in his chest, far beyond the flavor.
Then Elara turned to Suicune and offered another.
Then Raikou.
Then Cyclizar.
Then Koraidon.
Then Pawmot.
Then Dragonite.
Then Iono…
One by one, she handed out candy to everyone she loved.
By the time the basket was empty, Elara sat happily in the grass, looking around at the now-smiling Pokémon gathered around her, and burst into giggles.
Naoki, Iono, and all the Pokémon surrounding them couldn't help but smile warmly at the sight.
Their daughter was growing up to be kind, brave, and full of love.
...
Kalos Region — Arche Valley.
Deep in the Kalos region, hidden behind towering, ancient mountains, lay a secluded valley untouched by modern cities.
Legends whispered that this valley was blessed by the Creator Himself, Arceus.
Golden statues with wheel-like halos and ivory carvings lined the valley paths, placed with care and reverence by the local people.
It was here, on this sacred day, that Mew, Teddiursa, Victini, and Zapdos arrived.
Mew floated down and touched one of the ivory statues with a curious paw. "Mew?"
Victini hovered near a crystal spring, eyes wide.
'Nini" "The aura here is incredible…" it murmured, sensing the intense concentration of divine energy in the air.
Immediately, Victini turned to alert the others.
Mew tilted its head and sniffed gently. Something about this place felt familiar.
"Teddi…" Teddiursa looked around, clearly confused. "Where are we?"
He tapped at a Rotom Phone floating beside him.
"Teddi" "Rotom, where are we?"
The device chimed, flipping to its map screen. Its Rotom voice responded cheerfully:
"This is the Arche Valley! Rotom! Located in the southern reaches of the Kalos region! According to the internet, this is a sacred site linked to the myths of Arceus, the Creator Pokémon. Rotom~!"
"Mew?"
Mew blinked, recalling a long-ago memory.
'The God of Creation, isn't that the powerful Pokémon Arceus that Naoki had fought before?'
Mew still remembers that Naoki teamed up with many Pokémon to defeat Him.
'Could it be that the Pokémon lives here? !'
The members of the hero's expedition team stood at the edge of the forested cliff, gazing down at a human settlement nestled in the valley below.
The town looked peaceful, with winding paths, soft rooftops, and golden fields stretching under the scorching midday sun.
But not all was well.
...
Bonus @500
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