At 11 a.m., the plane touched down at Melemele Island Airport.
As soon as Naoki stepped off the plane, holding little Elara in his arms, he felt warmth wrap around his entire body.
As expected, the Alola region was like spring all year round. Thankfully, the family had changed out of their thick winter clothes while still on the plane.
"Let's head back to the ranch first! It's almost noon, everyone must be getting hungry," said Iono.
"Exactly what I was thinking," Naoki agreed with a nod.
They didn't linger long in Hau'oli City. Instead, they hopped onto Koraidon and soared across the sky toward Akala Island.
In about ten minutes, a rural town filled with western-style charm appeared in the distance.
Iono's eyes sparkled. "It looks just like the cowboy towns from old Western movies!"
Naoki chuckled. "That's exactly what I thought the first time I came here. It feels so different from Paldea. We're almost there."
After flying past Paniola Town, they came upon a wide, open plain.
The plain was rich and green, with a small river winding through it and various fenced pastures scattered across the land. From above, they could already spot Pokémon roaming happily through the tall grass.
"That's where we'll be staying this winter," said Naoki, pointing toward an empty field in the distance.
"It looks a little... empty," Iono observed.
Naoki smiled. "It won't be for long."
Before Koraidon could fully land, Naoki noticed a tanned boy waving at them enthusiastically from below.
That was Kiawe, the local boy Naoki had hired to help maintain the pasture.
Kiawe looked thrilled. He waved both arms and shouted, "Mr. Naoki!"
"Long time no see, Kiawe. How have you been?" Naoki asked warmly as he stepped down from Koraidon.
"I've been doing great! I'm enrolling in Pokémon School next year!" said Kiawe proudly.
'Next year… That would be the year Ash arrives in the Alola region to begin his travels.'
And with that, strange things like Ultra Beasts would also begin to surface.
Naoki's expression remained calm. He simply smiled and said, "Congratulations."
Seeing Kiawe glance at Iono and the baby in Naoki's arms, he introduced them.
"This is my wife, Iono."
"Nice to meet you, Miss Iono!" Kiawe greeted her politely.
"Hello, Kiawe," Iono replied with a bright smile.
"Ah! I almost forgot—I still have milk deliveries to make!" Kiawe suddenly remembered. "Mr. Naoki, I'll stop by and visit later!"
With that, he hopped onto the Charizard waiting nearby, waved goodbye, and took off into the sky.
Naoki watched Kiawe disappear in the distance and let out a soft sigh.
He shook his head with a small smile, then pulled off his space backpack and took out a few Poké Balls.
"Everyone, come on out!"
With a burst of white light, a group of Pokémon appeared, one after another, onto the grass.
Cyclizar, Pawmot, Alcremie, Miltank, Butterfree, Gogoat, Garganacl, Dragonite, Combee, and the Indeedee siblings all took in their new surroundings.
Iono followed closely behind and released her Bellibolt from its Poké Ball.
Looking at the group of Pokémon gathered in front of him, Naoki spoke like a father addressing his family.
"We're here. This will be our home for a while. Get to know the surroundings, but don't wander off too far. I'll be tidying up the house for now!"
The Pokémon all looked around curiously, ears twitching and eyes bright with interest.
The Indeedee siblings stepped forward excitedly and offered to help.
Naoki chuckled. "Then I'll leave the cleaning to you two."
With that, they zipped into the house and began sweeping, dusting, and organizing the house.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Pokémon began exploring their new environment, their eyes wide with excitement at the fresh grass, open skies, and unfamiliar scents.
After giving a few more instructions, Naoki gently handed Elara over to the three Legendary Beasts, Entei, Suicune, and Raikou, who accompanied him to Alola and had taken it upon themselves to help watch over the baby.
Then, he and Iono headed into the house to unpack and organize their things.
They hadn't brought much this time, just some clothing and daily essentials, but as soon as they started putting things away, they realized just how much they were missing.
"No washing machine, no cookware, no seasonings…" Iono muttered, looking around the kitchen in disbelief.
Naoki sighed. "Guess we'll need to head into town this afternoon and do some shopping."
It was also a perfect opportunity to pick up some seeds for the fields.
Thanks to the warm, humid climate and abundant rainfall, the Alola region was home to many crops that didn't grow in Paldea.
Naoki had already noted a few local favorites: coconut palms, guavas, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, coffee beans, and sugarcane.
He planned to grow some of these himself, coffee beans to roast fresh coffee, and sugarcane to make sugar. These Alolan specialties were also popular exports.
When Naoki stepped back outside, he saw that the Pokémon had all begun settling into their new home.
The Miltank were contentedly grazing on fresh, lush grass in the pasture.
The Wooloo and Gogoat had wandered over to the wooden fence to explore.
The sleek Spectrier swished its tail and strolled toward the nearby stable.
All around, Pokémon were happily playing, running, or lounging in the grass. The whole scene radiated peace and joy.
Naoki smiled warmly.
Coming here for the winter was absolutely the right decision.
At noon, he and Iono sat down for a simple meal and later fed their Pokémon a mix of pre-prepared Poke blocks and Poffins, enough to fill their bellies while they continued enjoying the ranch.
Then, the couple headed out together to Paniola Town to buy daily necessities.
Even though the town was small, its shops were well-stocked, likely because of the many ranches in the surrounding area.
Naoki had no trouble finding items suited for ranch work: pitchforks, watering cans, saws, milking machines, wooden barrels, and plenty of seeds.
However, when it came to general household items like kitchen appliances and certain groceries, Paniola Town didn't have much to offer.
So the couple decided: tomorrow, they'd take a trip to Hau'oli City on Melemele Island to buy the rest.
Hau'oli City was the largest metropolis in the Alola region, brimming with life and bustling with travelers from all over the world. With its coastal charm, sunny skies, and constant flow of tourists, the city was always vibrant, and its shopping scene was no exception.
After delivering the supplies they'd bought earlier back to their Akala Island ranch, Naoki and Iono rode Koraidon and Dragonite to Melemele Island to shop for everything else they needed.
They didn't linger in the city streets at first. Naoki headed straight to the large department store in the city center, determined to restock the essentials in one go.
Washing machines, televisions, microwaves, frying pans, juicers, ovens, beddings, and more, all went on the list. Naoki even picked out a full set of stylish garden furniture, envisioning a peaceful afternoon where Calyrex could enjoy tea in the warm Alolan sun.
Naoki walked ahead while a sales assistant followed diligently, noting down each item with practiced efficiency.
Fortunately, transport wasn't an issue. The store offered premium delivery services. For a small fee, they could ship everything straight to Akala Island.
Naoki, never one to skimp when convenience was involved, opted for the home delivery without hesitation.
"Perfect," said the saleswoman with a smile, jotting down the address. "We'll begin packing and dispatch your items immediately."
By the time the shopping was finished, it was already two o'clock in the afternoon.
Walking down the city street with bags of smaller essentials, Iono looked over and asked, "Should we head back now?"
Naoki gave a soft smile. "Not yet. Let's go to the beach. Didn't you say you've always wanted to see a real Alolan beach?"
Iono's face instantly lit up. "Yes!"
...
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