Hau'oli City was a true seaside town. The ocean breeze could be felt throughout the streets. Following the scent of salt and the cry of Wingull overhead, the couple soon arrived at a wide, golden beach that stretched out into the distance.
Before them lay the sparkling blue sea, calm and glimmering beneath a sky so clear it seemed painted. Several Wingull glided through the air and came to rest atop a tall Exeggutor-shaped coconut tree, rustling its leaves in the breeze.
The warm ocean air brushed gently against their skin, and even Naoki had to admit that Alola's climate really was paradise.
Iono stood still for a moment, letting the wind play with her hair. Her eyes were wide, reflecting the light of the sea.
"It's beautiful…" she whispered.
Suddenly, her gaze landed on something peculiar down the shoreline. "Wow! Look at that sandcastle! Who built it? It looks amazing!"
Naoki glanced at it and sighed softly. "That's not a castle. That's a Palossand."
As if on cue, the sentient sand Pokémon noticed it was being watched and hastily buried itself deeper into the beach before waddling away, blending perfectly into the sand.
Undeterred, Iono grabbed Naoki's hand with a grin. "Then let's build a sandcastle too!"
Naoki blinked. He'd thought sandcastle building was more of a game for Elara, but seeing Iono's glowing face and childlike excitement, he couldn't bring himself to say no.
"You know," he said, chuckling as he crouched beside her, "you're exactly the same as when I first met you, quirky, full of energy, always dragging me into trouble."
Iono paused and gave him a sly smile. "People change, you know. My mom always told me I should act more mature, more like a gentle and responsible mother. So I've been trying…"
Naoki raised an eyebrow. "And? How's that been going?"
She puffed her cheeks, then broke into a laugh. "Honestly? I'm exhausted."
Naoki let out a helpless sigh. "You really don't need to force yourself to change. I love you just the way you are."
"Really?" Iono's eyes lit up with a mischievous sparkle, clearly plotting something.
Naoki immediately sensed danger. "Wait… what are you thinking?"
Iono leaned in close, whispering something in his ear that made Naoki's face flush bright red. He instinctively took a step back. "The Pokémon are still here!"
Iono just gave him a playful, quirky grin. She turned toward Koraidon, who was staring at them with a puzzled look, and cheerfully said, "Koraidon, want to help us build a sandcastle?"
…
They didn't stay at the beach much longer. After hastily building a very questionable-looking sandcastle with Koraidon, the couple remembered that a whole ranch, and their daughter, were waiting back on Akala Island.
By 3 PM, they had returned to the ranch.
The home appliances from Hau'oli City's department store had already arrived, delivered by strong, capable Pokémon laborers from the region.
Once the machines were set up and tested, the delivery Pokémon bowed and left in an orderly fashion.
Naoki spent the next hour organizing the mattresses and beddings. After finishing the bedroom, he took the newly bought garden chairs and placed them in a quiet corner of the ranch.
Calyrex hovered nearby, watching Naoki's efforts with calm satisfaction.
"All done!" Naoki said with a smile. "This'll be your tea spot from now on. We're staying here for three months, so you'll have plenty of peaceful afternoons."
Calyrex gave a slow, approving nod. "I like it here."
Naoki grinned. "I'm glad."
That evening, Iono cooked a simple but satisfying meal using fresh ingredients bought from the town.
After dinner, they made sure all the Pokémon were comfortable and settled for the night.
It had been a full day of organizing and cleaning, but the ranch now truly felt like a second home.
The next morning, golden sunlight spilled over the hills, and the sky was brilliantly clear.
All the chores had been done. Now it was time to enjoy life and let the quiet of winter pass gently.
But Naoki, a rancher at heart, couldn't sit still.
After breakfast, he took out the seeds he'd bought from town, fruits and vegetables native to Alola, and prepared to revive a stretch of unused land at the edge of the property.
He didn't want the fertile soil to go to waste. Besides, the idea of cooking tropical dishes using homegrown ingredients excited him. Some recipes might even enhance the growth or mood of Pokémon on the ranch.
Naoki whistled for Dugtrio, who popped out of the ground with a cheerful chirp.
"Squeak!"
"Let's till the soil," Naoki said. "Time to start planting."
Dugtrio nodded and dove underground again. A small mound appeared on the field and started zipping around like a tiny, tunneling plow, loosening the dirt row by row.
The previously hard and compact soil quickly loosened under Dugtro's tireless efforts.
Once the entire field was tilled, Naoki took out the crop seeds he had prepared in advance.
Just then, sister Indeedee came over carrying little Elara in her arms.
"Daddy!"
Naoki turned around and smiled warmly. "What brings you here, sweetheart?"
"Hug!" Elara babbled, holding out her tiny arms.
"I'm farming right now," he replied, though he still reached out and pulled her into a gentle hug. He turned to Indeedee and said, "I'll take it from here. You can go rest for a bit."
"Ee~" Indeedee nodded, stepping away quietly.
Naoki sat down and let Elara lean against him for support. He brought out the seed pouch again and asked, "Do you want to help Daddy farm?"
"Yaah," she cheered with sparkling eyes.
Naoki chuckled. "Alright then. Let me teach you."
He gently guided her small hands to reach into the pouch and pick a seed.
"First, you dig a hole just the right size in the soil. Then you drop the seed in… just like this," he demonstrated. "And after that, cover it with soil."
"Now, we need a little help from our Grass-type Pokémon," he said, glancing at the nearby Gogoat.
The Gogoat stepped forward, and a soft green glow began to pulse from its body. In the next instant, a strong wave of Grass energy surged into the freshly buried seed.
Then something incredible happened.
The soil trembled slightly… and a tiny green shoot burst through the surface.
"Look, it sprouted!" Naoki smiled.
Elara clapped her hands in excitement. "Waaah!"
"This is just the start," Naoki said. "Keep watching… don't blink!"
The Gogoat continued pouring in vibrant life energy. As if feeding on the pulse of nature itself, the sprout began to grow faster than any normal plant. Its trunk thickened, branches stretched outward, and in mere seconds, the tiny sprout transformed into a towering fifteen-meter coconut tree. Huge leaves spread above them, and heavy, ripe coconuts hung in clusters beneath the canopy.
"Waah!" Elara gasped, staring up in awe.
Naoki smiled as he pinched her chubby cheek. "See? Isn't Pokémon magic amazing?"
But far away, on the other side of Akala Island…
A strange Pokémon stirred.
Its body was dark, its upper torso black with long, dark pink tendrils that resembled flowing hair. Its lower body and crown-like head shell were a vibrant pink. The guardian deity of Akala Island, Tapu Lele, suddenly turned its gaze toward the distant hills.
Just now… it had sensed something.
A surge of natural energy, pure and powerful, unlike anything it had felt before.
The land had resonated with a presence it hadn't encountered in years.
Tapu Lele hovered in place, its large eyes gleaming with curiosity and caution.
"What was that energy…?"
The guardian's shell closed slightly, and with a soft shimmer, it vanished from sight, intent on finding out for itself.
...
Consider throwing some Powerstones. 💎💎🙏
Bonus @1000
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